Agent DuckButt
by Juura99
Summary: Sasuke is an Agent who works for a Secret Organization. When a new threat arises that jeapordizes the entire country, he has no choice but to join forces with Naruto, an Agent from an allying company. Sadly...they just can't seem to get along. SasuNaru AU
1. Hello Agents

***Dramatic Movie Intro with Spy Theme***

**Crew99 Productions presents...**

**In association with SilverXStarlight...**

**A Naruto Fanfiction...**

**Juura99 proudly presents...**

**Agent Duck-Butt.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.**

**Plot Idea belongs to Juura99 (Extra credit goes to SilverXStarlight).**

**Warnings: Language, violence, occasional crack-humour and eventual yaoi. (This disclaimer will last throughout the entire story.)**

**...**

**Scene 1.  
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><p>A pale raven man narrowed his black eyes as he peered around the corner. He saw two armed guards standing outside a door, talking to each other and laughing while they kept watch. He frowned, and lifted his arm, pulling back the black sleeve of his full body black outfit to glance at the fancy wrist watch. Noting the time, he let his eyes roam up. They landed on a vent, and a smirk curved his pale pink lips. With cat-like agility, he ran at the wall and used his body's momentum to grab the vent door with his nimble fingers; the vent swung open under his weight. He quickly rebalanced himself, twisting and folding his body so he could slide himself up into the vent. As soon as he was in, he pulled the door shut again and waited. Sure enough, the two guards came around the corner, guns drawn.<p>

"I swear I heard something!" the one said, looking around while keeping a steady hold on his firearm.

"Come on, let's go check it out." His companion said and the two continued down the hall, away from the door and the vent.

The black clad raven man smirked again. '_Amateurs_.' He thought condescendingly. Once more, with a feline grace, he opened the vent and slipped out, landing on the floor lightly. He quickly ran up to the door, his footsteps barely making a sound with how light he was treading. When he reached the large redwood door, he reached behind into a black satchel and pulled out a strange looking device and pressed it to the door. It stuck on, and quickly he clicked a small switch on the side of the square object. It hissed slightly before the top slid up to reveal a keypad. With great skill and care, the man typed in a code. A small white light appeared while numbers began flashing on the screen.

Once more, the man pulled back his sleeve to take note of the time.

After eight seconds, the white light turned green and the numbers stopped flashing. There was a click, and the man's smirk returned. _'Too easy'_ he thought snidely. Quickly and smoothly, he closed the contraption and pulled it off the door, slipping it back into his satchel. Standing straight, he cricked his neck and prepared to open the door.

"Hey!"

With reflexes shocking to normal men, the man spun around, simultaneously pulling a small needle out of his satchel. With a flick of the wrist, the needle split through the air and struck the returning guard in the neck. The startled man jolted and fell to the floor, convulsing before he stilled, eyes open and mouth foaming slightly.

Another set of footsteps echoed in the hallway as the second guard approached at high speed, and the raven scowled while withdrawing yet another needle.

As soon as he saw a flash of a black suit, the needle was soaring through the air. It hit its target before the man could even say anything to his fallen companion, and he too fell to the floor, jerking violently before becoming eerily still.

The smirk returned.

Turning back to the door, the raven reached into his satchel once more, the other hand pressing on the door.

He closed his eyes, and counted to eight. Then he pushed the door open and stepped inside, pulling out the 9mm pistol equipped with a silencer at the same time.

Moving swiftly, he sidled along the wall, firing repeatedly and striking the men gathered in the room. Guns were being drawn, shouts were beginning to sound.

Panic was starting to set in.

And the smirk just grew wider; more feral.

"Que l'enfer—!.?"

"Teuz-le!"

"Où sont les gardes—?"

"Comment il l'a fait—?.!"

Shot after shot after shot and more and more of the men dropped to the floor.

A loud bang echoed from somewhere across the room, and the raven bent back, seeing the bullet slam into the wall behind him, showering the area in splinters of wood and plaster. Less than a second after, he straightened up and fired. The shooter slammed back against the wall, a bullet lodged between his eyes before he slid to the floor.

The raven kept moving, firing at one after another and always hitting his mark. There were more shouts in French, and he frowned. He could tell from both his information and from these men that it was a cover language. The nationality of these men differed from Arabic to English to Japanese and even African.

No wonder he was ordered to kill. Whatever these men had been planning must have been big for including so many different nationalities in the plans.

Another shot and he cart wheeled to the side to avoid it, an expensive vase taking the hit instead. Once he was upright, he spun and the shooter fell to the ground. There were only four men left out of the total thirty that had been.

Running, the raven jumped onto the large conference table, rolled, and came up to a crouch, gun aimed forward. A man with narrow eyes which were gaping in horror was less than a foot away, standing at the end of the table where the raven had just straightened up. The smirk on the pale face was the last thing the man saw before a bullet decorated the area behind with his brains and blood.

Three left.

Side-diving off the table, the raven kicked a chair. It scattered across the floor and struck the tall, long haired man in the knees, sending him off balance and stopping the shot he was about to give. While the man was crouched, the raven skidded over and brought his hand up. With a powerful blow, he struck the man's nose and felt the bone sink back into the skull, piercing so deep the man was dead before he hit the floor.

Two left.

Shots rang out and the raven rolled away as the floor he was on was barraged with bullets.

"Quelqu'un nous a trahis!" one of the men shouted and the raven smirked.

'_Someone has betrayed you indeed_.' He thought.

He looked around, noting he was behind a large desk. Ducking down, he looked under and saw the feet of the last two targets. Smirking wider, he aimed and shot, hitting one of the men in the foot. A scream of pain sounded, followed by panicked shouts and the raven rose up, spinning around and firing quickly. The last man standing was blown off his feet as two bullets slammed into him, one in his heart and the other in his head. The raven vaguely wondered which bullet had killed him first.

The man writhing on the floor gasped in pain and the raven walked over to him slowly, picking around the fallen bodies. His face was calm as he stepped over a bleeding body until he was looming over the last survivor. The man looked to be American, if he guessed correctly. With a blank face, he leaned over the man who looked up at him with fear-filled, teary eyes. Those eyes widened as they finally saw the man who had taken out thirty armed and dangerous men in under ten minutes.

"Y-you...You're just a kid!" he wheezed.

The raven sighed lightly. "Actually I'm twenty-one." And with a light shrug and another smirk the raven aimed his gun and pulled the trigger, putting the last man out of his misery.

He breathed deeply and pulled his sleeve back, looking at his watch.

"Eight minutes exactly," he noted, a smug smile curving his face before he once more reached into his satchel and pulled out a small radio. Clicking it on, he waited for the static to clear before speaking.

"This is Agent Sharingan," he said. There was a hiss of static before another voice spoke.

"Hello Agent. I take it the mission was a success then?" a falsely cheerful voice said.

"Yes sir."

"Excellent. Now then, please make your super-cool spy exit and we'll mark this off our list."

"...Yes sir."

"Oh and Agent?"

"Sir?"

"I'm only twenty-seven. Call me 'sir' once more and I'll tell the old man you were the one who made his grandson pee himself."

"...Fine."

"That's better. See you in a few."

The line crackled before the raven switched it off and slipped it back into his satchel. His eyebrows were furrowed with annoyance at the exchange. Sighing slightly, he looked around once more, taking in the damage he'd done.

The smirk returned, filled with pride at a job well done, and he sauntered over to the large window. Easing it open, he looked out at the fifty floors below him, and his smirk turned into a cocky grin.

'_Super-cool spy exit it is then._'

And with that, he let himself gracefully fall out the window, reaching into his satchel and withdrawing a small, strange looking gun. When he had fallen twenty floors, he opened his eyes against the rush of wind, took aim at a familiar black helicopter hovering nearby and fired, watching as the metal claw and subsequent rope shot through the air. It caught the helicopter and tightened, and he went swinging through the air while the helicopter took its cue and began to ascend and fly away, pulling the raven haired agent with it.

~ADB~

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><p>His hair swayed as he briskly walked through the white halls of the headquarters, his polished shoes tapping loudly against the marble floors. Other men and woman, ages varying, strode past giving him nothing but a nod or an appreciative glance which he returned with either a tip of the head or a blink of the eyes.<p>

He continued his fast pace until he reached the large, ornate silver doors at the end of the hall. Taking a deep breath and counting to eight, he pushed his way through the doors and entered the room.

Large, burnt sienna coloured walls were bathed in sunlight from the enormous window that formed one entire wall. The dark wood floor was highlighted with strips of white wood, giving one the impression of shooting stars in a dark sky. Book shelves lined the other walls, and tasteful paintings decorated the area as well as a few well placed plants.

A large desk was placed in front of the window, and the light cast the man sitting behind the desk and the man standing next to him into slight shadow. The raven walked up to the desk and stopped, bowing his head slightly in greeting.

"Good day, Mr. Sarutobi." The raven murmured.

There was a deep chuckle before the seated man spoke, his voice aged and wise.

"It's good to see you, Sasuke. I heard your latest mission was a complete success. But then again, I couldn't expect anything less from an Uchiha now could I?"

Sasuke looked up, dark onyx eyes softening slightly as he looked at his employer. A cloud outside rolled over the sun, and he could finally see the old man clearly.

Sarutobi was wearing his usual impeccably white suit and his fingers were laced together in front of him while a pipe was set between his lips. His face was aged and wrinkled, but regal and firm. Greying hair was slicked back over his head, the strands thin and feeble. Standing next to him was his right hand man and one of the greatest agents ever known. His codename was Agent Scarecrow. Spiked white hair was brushed to fall loosely to the side, the spikes perking up and seeming to defy gravity slightly. His left eye was covered by an eye patch while the lower half of his face was covered by a tight fitting black mask that blended perfectly with his black suit. His only visible eye was crinkled in a smile as he observed the younger raven standing before him.

"So, Agent...Did you have fun?" the white haired agent asked. Sasuke sent him a rather withering look.

"Good day, Kakashi," he greeted coldly.

Kakashi chuckled. "No need to be so stiff." His eye turned an interesting shade of grey, and Sasuke found himself feeling nervous. "You'll need to relax before you take on your new mission."

Sasuke straightened, his eyes widening slightly. Another mission so soon? It was unusual for Sarutobi to send out agents repetitively after they've already completed an important mission. Sasuke usually waited for several weeks before he was called in again. If he was being sent straight back into the field, it must have been extremely important.

His blood began to boil in excitement, and his features glowed slightly.

Sarutobi easily saw his young agents' excitement and sighed. "Now you've ruined the surprise," he scolded the man next to him. Kakashi laughed.

"Oh have I? I don't know, our little agent seemed pretty surprised to me."

Kakashi received two withering looks for that.

"Mr. Sarutobi...What is this new mission? It must be important," he asked, hoping he didn't sound as eager as he felt. Sarutobi sighed and rubbed his temples before looking Sasuke straight in the eyes.

"Yes Sasuke, this new mission is of vital importance. In fact...it might hold the fate of the country in its result."

Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked between the two men, seeing Kakashi's serious expression. His heart thudded wildly in his chest as excitement built. A mission of such importance, and they wanted to send him...

It was like a dream come true.

"What is the situation?" he asked, getting into his agent-mode.

"We have received word of a powerful organization that is building up military strength at a rapid pace. Our intelligence suspects this organization to be planning a massive take-over. The people running it are unknown but for the fact that they are of many different nationalities. Much like your last mission. In fact, we are led to believe that the men you eliminated may have been working under the influence of this new organization. Sasuke..." the old man looked up and Sasuke was astounded at the seriousness on that old face. He found his muscles tightening unconsciously. "...We need to confirm what this organization's plans are. And if they are hostile, we need to bring them down swiftly and without mercy."

Sasuke swallowed. Missions like these...they were what most Agents lived for. The missions where the world as they knew it was at stake. Sasuke knew that when it came to this mission, failure was not an option.

"I understand sir."

"Sasuke...you realize this mission will be like nothing you've ever taken before. I know that you're talented, and have handled many high level missions. But these people are smart, cunning and secretive and they cover their tracks with such efficiency we were lucky to have even caught the slightest wind of what they were doing." Kakashi put in, his voice stern and strong.

Sasuke nodded. "This mission will require a lot of time and resources," he said slowly, thinking of the best way he could monopolize his time and contacts.

Here, the two older men shared a rather apprehensive glace, making Sasuke look up curiously. "Sir?"

Sarutobi sighed heavily. "Sasuke...as much as I know you are capable...I've decided that you'll need help on this mission," he said, and waited for it.

"...What?"

Kakashi looked to the ceiling, feeling the way the room seemed to turn ten degrees colder. He knew that the young Uchiha was a solo artist, a lone wolf. He never worked with anyone else, as he believe they just got in his way, and more often than not he was right. Sarutobi had stopped giving the lad partners very soon after Uchiha had joined the Agency. Sasuke's efficiency rate was higher that way.

However, considering the nature of this mission and the urgency, they knew they couldn't let Sasuke go on his own. Although they knew he would be able to do the mission, the risks were higher, his safety was almost guaranteed to be zero and he wouldn't be able to function for long without the need of sleeping or eating and that would slow him down. Having a partner would double the speed by sharing the workload.

"Sasuke, I understand how you feel but this isn't up for discussion. You'll need a partner or two on this mission."

"Or two?" Had Sasuke's voice just cracked? Kakashi wondered.

"Yes, Sasuke. Possibly more if things take a turn for the worse. You don't have to worry. The agent I have chosen is highly qualified and a prodigy in his own right. I think that the two of you will be able to do this mission together splendidly." Sarutobi said.

Sasuke clenched his fists. "Sir, may I ask who this agent is?"

"He's from an allying agency, so you've never met him. However, he is going to be meeting us in a few moments. From what I've heard from his superiors, his success rate is almost as high as yours if not on par."

Sasuke breathed through his nose. He knew that no matter how much he protested, Sarutobi had made up his mind. He would have to work with another agent, and as much as it bugged him, he knew he had to do it.

He just hoped that the other agent wouldn't be a complete idiot.

There was a sharp rap at the door, and Sarutobi straightened. "It seems he has arrived. Come in!" Sarutobi called.

Sasuke turned his head slightly to watch as the door was slowly pushed open. He felt his stomach twisting nervously as he waited for his 'partner' to appear.

His eyes widened when a head of shockingly bright yellow hair appeared, followed by tanned skin covered in a bright orange dress shirt and black slacks and the bluest pair of eyes Sasuke had ever seen. Somehow, Sasuke just could not picture this man _ever_ succeeding in an undercover mission. It was hard _not_ to notice him, after all.

"Yo, Old Man! I heard you required my services. So where is this 'partner' of mine..." the young man trailed off, his loud and slightly gruff voice fading as he locked eyes with Sasuke.

The two stared at each other for what felt like an eternity to the other occupants of the room.

Slowly, oh so slowly, the blond man let the door close behind him. Taking a breath, crystalline blue eyes turned to Sarutobi.

"With all due respect, Sir...There is no way in _hell_ I'm working with Agent Duck-Butt over there," he said, jabbing a tan thumb in Sasuke's direction.

Sasuke tensed, his lips twitching down into a scowl as he glared at the blond.

Sarutobi rubbed his temples, muttering a low and despairing 'Oh boy...'

Kakashi smiled to himself. '_This will be an interesting mission_.'

~ADB~

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><p><strong>...XD How'd ya'll like the first chapter! Remember kids...you <span>CANNOT<span> judge a story by its FIRST CHAPTER. I can pretty much guarantee that the other chapters won't be as...well..._serious_... as this one. ^_^ The humour has yet to truly come (it comes quite hard next chapter...oh my...) so remember! Keep your eyes out for this (or, ya know, just alert it to take the easy way :P) and the next chapter will be out by next week at the very latest!**

**Reviews make us all happy! ^_^**


	2. A Battle of Wits

**Here we go! Next chapter! I was pleased with the responses I got for the first one! There were many saying it was good, a few saying they were waiting anxiously, and even one that kindly pointed out their dissapointment (not that I blame them, the first chapter wasn't one of my best now that I look back on it :/) But hopefully they will be more pleased with this one, as will the rest of you!**

**And WOW! 40+ reviews on only the first chapter! :D That's so awesome! I have high hopes for this story!**

**Well, I suppose I shouldn't stall any longer? Oh, before I go, A BIG HUG goes out to xCastielsGirlx for writing a little dedication fic to me and my boys! ^_^ Thanks CG!**

**Here we go! (This chapter was one of my favourites to write, simply because of the interactions between the boys!) I hope you all enjoy!**

**LETS GO!  
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><p>Sasuke's teeth were gritted so tightly, he was half expecting them to crack under the strain and pressure. His fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly as he tried very hard to keep his calm. Sitting before him, Sarutobi was watching him and the blond man standing next to him with an <em>almost<em> amused expression on his face.

"..."

"..."

"...I believe introductions are in order," Kakashi supplied helpfully, leaning forward slightly and smiling.

The blond man standing next to Sasuke sighed before reaching into his inner pocket and producing an Agent ID.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, A.K.A Agent Kyuubi," he said, and tossed his ID onto the desk where it slid to a stop right in front of Sarutobi; right way up and facing him perfectly.

Sasuke frowned.

Sarutobi picked up the ID and examined it carefully before a rather fond smile took over his face.

"Ah, excellent. Now then, please..." Sarutobi nodded to Sasuke as he handed the blond his ID back. Sasuke sighed before turning to look at his 'partner' with a straight face.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha, A.K.A Agent Sharingan," he said, holding out his hand stiffly. Naruto reached out and gripped it, shaking his hand.

"Agent Sharingan? Hm...Honestly, I think Agent Duck-Butt suits you better," he said with a sly little smile and a glint in his eyes.

Sasuke's lips twitched into a very forced smile.

A second passed before Naruto gasped and started yanking on his hand, trying to get it out of the crushing grip Sasuke had.

"Ouch! Fuck, bastard!" he snapped, finally pulling his hand free only to hold it close and nurse it. "Who peed in your coffee?"

Sasuke's eyebrow developed an interesting twitch and he turned to give his superiors a look stating _exactly_ what he thought of their decision on his partner.

Sarutobi sighed. "Listen up!" he barked, and all the men straightened. "The fate of our agencies and the country itself might be in jeopardy, and I will not have you two condemning us all because of your own personal issues. You two are the ones most qualified to handle this job and you _will_ do it together. Failure is not an option!"

Sasuke and Naruto glanced at each other, glaring. However, all their training had taught them that when they were given an order: it was absolute.

"Yes sir," they said in unison, turning their gazes back to Sarutobi.

The old man sighed with relief. "Now then, there are a few preparations being made for you two. In the meantime, I want the both of you to go and get to know each other. There's a nice little bistro down the street. Go have a meal, have a good chat, and sort out your issues so that you can work smoothly together."

"Yes sir."

"Very well. You will be debriefed when the preparations are complete. Kakashi will contact you. Dismissed."

Sasuke and Naruto bowed their heads slightly before turning and marching towards the door.

Naruto reached it first, and stepped through it. Sasuke took a step forward to follow, and he just caught sight of Naruto's smirk before the door slammed shut on his face. Holding back a curse, he gripped his nose and sent an evil glare to the two men behind him before almost ripping the door off its hinges as he opened it.

Naruto was strutting down the hallway, looking rather smug. He could tell instantly that Uchiha was a stuck up jerk just by the way he held himself and spoke. He'd been well trained to read people and he was good at it. Also, judging by Uchiha's behaviour during the hand-shake; he was the type who could get easily riled up, but wouldn't explode outwardly.

Naruto figured that the mission could become rather fun.

Sasuke saw the head of blond hair a few feet ahead, and growled in his throat. A woman was walking past, pushing a large trolley covered in trays that were obviously from the lunch break. As he walked past, he reached out and snatched a metal tray from the top, ignoring the woman's startled gaze.

Picking up the pace, he reached the strutting blond and raised the tray high in the air.

Naruto blinked, suddenly sensing an oncoming danger. Before he could react, however, his head was smacked so hard he lurched forwards, his ears ringing violently.

"Shit!" he reached up, grabbing at the back of his head where the sharp pain was worse. His eyes widened when he heard a deep chuckle and he looked around to see Sasuke calmly placing the tray-which now had a huge indentation of his head- back onto the trolley as the woman continued on.

"Y-you!" Naruto stammered, his eyes blazing angrily.

Sasuke looked down at him and smirked. "With such terrible reflexes, I see I'm going to be doing most of the work," he mocked and started to walk past, hands in his pockets.

Naruto gaped after him, watching as the Uchiha headed for the elevators. Gritting his teeth, the blond straightened up and quickly walked down the hallway. He slipped into the elevator before the doors could close and stood on the opposite end of the raven, rubbing the back of his head.

Sasuke watched his 'partner' out of the corner of his eyes and felt himself swell with smug pride at the hisses of pain the man uttered.

'_No one messes with an Uchiha, Uzumaki,_' he thought triumphantly.

Naruto noticed they were reaching their floor, and held back a devious smirk.

'_You want to play games, Uchiha? Fine._'

The elevator came to a stop and Naruto waited for Sasuke to get close enough. He stepped forwards, pressing the 'close door' button quickly before slipping past Sasuke. His hand reached out, brushing Sasuke's lower back.

Sasuke froze at the unexpected contact, and he wondered what Uzumaki was playing at as the man stepped ahead of him. He saw the blond smirking and opened his mouth to ask what was going on when he felt a harsh tug.

Looking over his shoulder, his eyes bulged as he saw his jacket end was caught in the elevator doors. And the elevator was moving, tugging his jacket along with it. He let out a gasp as he was pulled off his feet briefly before a loud rip sounded and he tumbled back to the floor.

He stared in horror at his now torn jacket before the sound of a laugh drew his deadly glare to the retreating blond back.

Naruto kept laughing, the sound mocking as he glanced over his shoulder at the livid raven. He grinned and raised a hand, forming a pistol and 'shooting' the Uchiha in victory before he stepped outside into the sunshine.

Sasuke rose to his full height, eyes narrowed into the fiercest glare he'd ever held. The agents around that had witnessed the spectacle swallowed thickly at the dark aura. They didn't know who the blond man was that chose to mess with Uchiha, but they felt pity for him. The man had pissed _Sasuke_ off, and no good would come of it.

Sasuke took a deep breath before he walked towards the front door, shedding his jacket and tossing it into a trash bin as he went by.

'_This means war, dumbass._'

**~ADB~**

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><p>The small little bistro on the corner of Main Street and Pryde Avenue was a cosy little place indeed. Several tables were set up outside for customers who wished to enjoy the breeze while the inside had many booths with soft seats. The walls were a light cream and the seats a mossy green, giving an earthy feel along with the wooden floors and furniture. The food was well prepared and simple and the bistro drew in lunch crowds splendidly.<p>

Sasuke marched into the bistro, following the head of blond hair. Naruto had chosen to sit inside, in a corner booth. Sasuke smirked.

'_Perfect_.'

He walked up to the booth and slid into the opposite seat, picking up a menu while the blond did the same. Soon he would wipe that smug grin off the tan face.

A waitress came up to them a few minutes later, breaking the silence over the table.

"Hello, are you ready to order?" she asked sweetly, looking between the two-in her opinion- gorgeous men.

Naruto looked up and offered a charming smile, showing off his perfect white teeth. "Why yes, actually. I'd like an espresso and a starter of buffalo wings, if you please."

The waitress nodded and wrote it down before turning her gaze to the other man. "And for you, sir?"

"Black coffee and a tomato and ham sandwich."

She wrote it down, nodding. "Thank you very much. I'll bring your drinks first and your food will be ready in a few minutes," she said, taking their offered menus before swiftly walking away.

Once she was gone, the two men looked at each other, the obvious dislike crackling between blue and black eyes.

"..."

"..."

"...So...Mr. Uchiha," Naruto said the name with obvious mocking, resting his elbow on the table and his head in his hand. He crossed his legs beneath the table as he gazed at the raven. "It seems we're partners from today on."

Sasuke crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat slightly. From this angle, he could just make out the blonds' legs and he held back an evil grin.

"It would seem so, unfortunately."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Well, Uchiha, we'd better come to some sort of agreement then shouldn't we?"

Sasuke nodded. "You're right. We should. In fact I have one already..." Naruto leant closer, looking interested and amused.

"Oh? And what would it be?"

Sasuke smirked and kicked his leg forward. He struck the blonds' knee and out of reflex, the blonds' leg kicked up and hit the table. The jolt made his arm jerk upwards, thereby hitting himself on the jaw with his own hand. Naruto hissed as his teeth clacked together painfully before directing a harsh glare at the smirking raven.

"You stay the hell out of my way and let me handle this mission, dumbass," Sasuke finished.

Naruto hissed, leaning forward slightly. "Oh hell no, jackass. There's no way I'm standing in your shadow!" he snapped softly.

Sasuke's smirk grew. "What're you talking about, loser? You're already in my shadow," he stated condescendingly.

There was a high pitched, yet soft, whistle and Sasuke's eyes widened when a toothpick imbedded itself into the seat next to him. He turned his head slightly, looking at the small piece of wood before his gaze shifted to the blond.

Naruto hadn't moved but for his fingers flicking and sending the small projectile to its target. The blonds' blue eyes had turned to steel with anger.

"_Don't_," the word was almost spat out, "Underestimate me."

Sasuke swallowed lightly, leaning forward a bit. His senses were on high alert now. He had to admit he was impressed with the blond. Usually, his reflexes picked up the slightest thing, but when around Naruto his guard was down and he didn't see the attacks coming until a split second before they made contact. It made this man a dangerous enemy and a good ally.

Not that Sasuke would stoop so low as to admit that aloud.

"It's not a matter of underestimating, Uzumaki," he stated calmly, "It's simply a matter of knowing how things work. You're working with me, and an Uchiha always leads. I don't take orders, I give them. I don't follow along, I lead the way. I don't watch _your_ back, you cover _mine_."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, and leant back in his seat. His finger tapped on the table, creating a low and steady rhythm. For some reason, his silence and the constant tapping put Sasuke on edge, like the ticking of a bomb waiting to explode and take out everything around it instantly.

With every tap, his muscles grew more and more tense, and he looked Naruto directly in the eyes. The tapping continued, and Sasuke clenched his fists under the table.

Finally, when the raven was on the edge of snapping at Naruto to cut it out, the waitress reappeared with their drinks and Naruto pulled his finger away, and his eyes returned to their crystalline blue once more. He smiled warmly at the waitress as she placed his espresso in front of him.

Sasuke let his muscles relax as his coffee was placed in front of him. He gave a nod towards the waitress as thanks and she turned away to serve another table. Sasuke watched her as she walked off; silently thankful she had chosen that moment to interrupt. It had saved him the trouble making Naruto stop.

"Uchiha."

Sasuke looked up to see the blond staring intently at him, the espresso ready to be sipped as he held it close to his mouth. Sasuke turned to face him fully and waited, raising an eyebrow to indicate he should continue.

Naruto took a small breath. "I don't agree with your 'agreement' plan. However, I know that this mission is of extreme importance. So, I agree to let you take the lead. However, do not expect me to fall back and be a good little soldier. My opinions and suggestions will be made and taken into account. We are not commander and subordinate. We are equals in this mission. Remember that," Naruto stated firmly.

Sasuke's lips turned down slightly, but as he thought about it he realized he had no choice. He could tell Uzumaki wouldn't just sit and take orders, and it would only put them both at jeopardy if he tried to control the man's every little move.

Resigning himself to a cruel fate, he sighed and nodded, reaching for his own coffee.

"Very well. Agreed."

Naruto nodded, satisfied and he took a deep sip of his espresso. His eyes never left Sasuke as the raven lifted his own cup to his mouth.

No sooner had Sasuke taken a large sip of his coffee did he choke and spit it back into the mug, coughing harshly.

A badly suppressed snicker sounded from across him, and he turned incredulous eyes to the blond man.

Naruto grinned behind his cup and slowly raised the hand that had been hidden under the table to reveal an empty pack of salt. Blue eyes flashed in amusement and triumph. "You shouldn't let a woman distract you so easily, Mr. Uchiha," he said, the laugh clear in his tone.

Sasuke blinked rapidly before he narrowed his eyes in a growl.

"You'll pay for that, _dumbass_."

Naruto tilted his head, smirking. "Bring it on, _bastard_."

* * *

><p>Kakashi entered the room, blinking in the harsh white light surrounding it. He shook his head, wondering why the company insisted on having the equipment rooms lit up like science labs. Shrugging off the thought, he walked down the aisle, passing tables filled to the brim with various different electronics, tools, and other mixes of items.<p>

Finally, he reached the end and came to a stop, seeing the two men sitting at the largest table and working.

"Hello boys!" he greeted cheerfully, and held back a snicker when they both jumped a foot in the air.

The taller man sighed, his spiked pony tail seeming to droop with the action before his lazy eyes focused on Kakashi.

"Troublesome. I hate it when you sneak up on us," he drawled. His large friend nodded, shaggy copper hair swaying.

Kakashi chuckled lightly, walking closer. "Sorry, Shikamaru, Chouji. Now then, I trust you've gotten most of it ready?" he asked.

Shikamaru nodded, leaning heavily against the desk. "Yes, we've gotten it all ready. I'm sure that both Sasuke and the other Agent will find these gadgets useful." He motioned to the layout of various items and widgets lying around the table.

Kakashi nodded, checking his watch. "They should be arriving soon," he mumbled.

Chouji pulled out a packet of chips from a bag at his feet and pulled it open, slipping one into his mouth. "So...what's the other guy like? We already know about Sasuke. Do they get along?" he asked, eyeing Kakashi. Shikamaru also gazed at the man in curiosity.

Kakashi let his eyes wander to the ceiling. "Ah well..."

Before he could continue, there was a commotion outside the door. The three men looked towards it as it was flung open. Two men tried to walk through at the same time, resulting in them getting caught in the doorway. Shikamaru and Chouji recognized Sasuke when the raven forcefully shoved his shoulder forward, getting through and causing the unknown blond man to stumble a bit.

Kakashi sighed. It seems that the bistro lunch didn't do anything to change their attitudes towards each other. He turned his body towards the two that were striding towards them, knocking shoulders viciously and glaring at each other.

"Okay you two, quit trying to melt each other's faces off and pay attention," he called sternly, and the two Agents straightened up immediately.

"Yes sir."

Kakashi nodded and motioned towards the table. "These here are some items and gadgets that may prove to be very useful during your mission," he informed.

Naruto stepped up to the table, eyes widening as he took in the different gadgets. The others watched him, noting the way his eyes seemed to light up like a child's on Christmas morning.

"These look...so _cool_!" Naruto grinned, leaning closer to examine something. Sasuke also studied the contents and picked up a small, rubbery pen. He looked at Shikamaru and quirked an eyebrow.

"That is an electric circuit pen. It can short circuit key pads and electrical devices, giving you access to areas as well as time to escape and so forth. Also, if activated against a human, it can couple as a low voltage stun gun." Shikamaru explained lazily.

Sasuke's other eyebrow rose before a curious look overtook his face. Casually, he flicked the pen on, seeing the light crackling at the tip. Nodding to himself slightly, he glanced at his 'partner' and smirked.

Naruto was examining a small rectangular case when something jabbed him in between his shoulder blades. He felt something jolt through his body like a sharp tingle and convulsed slightly before everything went numb and he slumped over the table, twitching.

"God!...Fuck!...Gah..." he gasped out as he struggled to retain control over his muscles. While Naruto jerked and twitched heavily against the table, Sasuke looked up at his stunned co-workers and gave a contented smile.

"I like it," he said, placing the pen back down. Chouji dropped his bag of chips while Shikamaru gaped at him.

Kakashi just ran a hand through his hair in mild frustration. "Sasuke, you should know by now it's rude to electrocute your mission partners," he scolded.

Sasuke just shrugged, uncaring.

"B-Bastard..." Naruto growled as he finally managed to stumble to his feet, still twitching occasionally.

Sasuke just smirked and continued his inspection of gadgets.

Naruto growled in his throat softly. How dare that bastard shock him like that! Looking over the gadgets, he saw one he was already very familiar with and almost laughed evilly. Picking up the object, he noticed the large man watching him, and sent a conspiratorial smile his way. The man blinked before his lips twitched in silent laughter.

Naruto carefully held the small matchbox sized object and lifted it up close to his face.

Sasuke was examining another item when he felt a shift.

"Hey Sasuke, look at this one," he heard Naruto say.

Stupidly, Sasuke turned. Naruto was holding something up but before he could see what it was, there was a blinding flash of light. Sasuke's face screwed up as he tried to see through the light when suddenly there was a loud electronic clicking noise that made him freeze on the inside.

'_He didn't!_'

The light died away, and while Sasuke tried to blink the spots out of his eyes, he heard the nearby computers and printers at work printing something before...

"Oh my God! Ahaha!" Naruto burst out laughing, dropping the flash-camera device and clutching his stomach while he looked at the picture of Sasuke that was on the computer screen and printed out.

The raven had the dumbest expression on his face, with his eyes fluttering closed, his nose scrunched up and his mouth open in surprise.

Kakashi coughed into his hand to hide the laugh while Chouji and Shikamaru put their heads down on the table, shoulders shaking with repressed mirth.

Sasuke felt his face heat up as Naruto continued to howl with laughter, occasionally slapping his knees or leaning against the table. Growling, Sasuke walked over to the computer to delete the picture, and made sure to tear the printed picture into small pieces afterwards.

When all the evidence was destroyed, he turned around and swung his fist towards Naruto's face.

The blond bent back, avoiding the punch. He took a step back to stop himself from falling over and continued backing up, his hands held up in defence when Sasuke moved towards him.

Both Agents were in a fighting stance, hands raised and legs apart. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and darted forwards, spinning on his heel and bringing his right leg up in a windmill kick. Naruto saw the attack coming and back flipped out of the way, landing on his feet. Sasuke had already moved again after his first attack, and he brought his fist up. Naruto only just tilted his head to the side and avoided the punch. Deciding to counter attack, he twisted around and brought his elbow back towards Sasuke's face.

The raven ducked and kicked his leg out, landing a strike on Naruto's legs. The blond toppled backwards, but stretched and placed his hands down. He pulled his legs up, and Sasuke jumped back to avoid getting kicked upside the jaw as Naruto swung back into a handstand before righting himself again.

The two glared at each other, now on opposite ends of the room.

"Bastard."

"Dumbass."

They ran forwards, exchanging punches and kicks and blocking each other. As much as both of them loathed admitting, they were very equally matched.

After a few more minutes of going nowhere, Kakashi had had enough. In a move no one saw, he jumped between the younger men. Arms shooting out, he got both his index fingers pressed right between each of the boys' eyes. Sasuke and Naruto froze, feeling the finger pressing harshly against their skin and pushing their heads back slightly.

"That is enough, both of you! The safety of the country and the Agency is at stake, and you're wasting time with meaningless fighting. You're both pretty, alright? Now suck up your grudges, get your gear, and get your asses out there and saving the day! Do I make myself clear, ladies?" Kakashi snapped, looking between them.

Both men swallowed and nodded and Kakashi roughly poked their heads before stepping back and waving towards the table.

"Get everything you need, get debriefed and get to work," he instructed sternly.

Naruto and Sasuke shared a glance, and nodded before walking back to the table to do their jobs.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The room was dark; the only sounds heard the slight shifting of cloth or the creak of a leather chair.<p>

Suddenly, a white light lit up, illuminating a large table, but casting the faces of those around it in shadow.

The person sitting at the head of the table stood up, putting more of themselves in the shadows.

"Ladies and Gentlemen...we are finally ready to acquire the last pieces needed to build our goal." The deep voice of a man spoke.

There were murmurs of excitement around the table before the man spoke again.

"However, it seems that the troublesome agents have caught wind of our plans and are sending agents in to investigate. They've already sent a spy which we have caught. It'll only be a matter of time before they start sending in the _real_ agents. We'll have to be extra careful...but in the meantime." The man clapped his hands and a door opened behind him. Two burly men came in, carrying a third man between them. They dragged the slumped figure to the table and shoved him on. He groaned as a bit of brunet hair fell into his eyes, partially hiding the deep bags under them. The man tried to sit up, but a sudden fit of harsh coughs made him curl in on himself.

"Well, well...so it was Hayate after all," a figure to the right spoke, their voice smooth.

Hayate glared towards the speaker before smirking. "So you suspected it was me all along?" he asked.

The figure nodded. "Indeed."

Hayate coughed again, before looking around. "Well then...seems I've failed my mission," he sighed.

He coughed again before his eyes snapped open wide and he pushed himself upwards and into the air. While air born, he flicked his wrist and several long, sharp needles slid into his hands from the secret pouches in his sleeves. The figures around the table moved out of the way as he skilfully threw the needles, and they imbedded into the chairs where the figures had been not moments before. Taking their confusion to his advantage, Hayate flipped and ran for the door.

The guards from before stepped up, but he easily jumped and swung his leg, kicking the left guard across the face and sending him crashing into his comrade. They fell to the ground and Hayate darted out of the room.

"Get him! Don't let him escape!" someone called after him, and he quickened his pace.

Running down the long and winding hallways, he passed door after door and gritted his teeth. He knew his chances of making it out of here alive were next to none, and he only hoped he'd be able to get the last bit of information he had to his superiors.

Suddenly, an alarm sounded and he skidded to a stop. Panting, and coughing lightly, he peeked around the corner and cursed. They had let out the dogs.

Now he knew for sure that he wasn't getting out of here.

Cursing, he pressed his head back against the wall, closing his eyes and giving himself a few minutes to accept his fate.

Finally, he calmed down. He couldn't die just yet. He had a mission to do, and he wasn't giving up till the very end. It was the way Sarutobi had taught them all.

Hayate looked around, looking for specific landmarks to tell him where he was. When he spotted an ornate sculpture, he realized he was on the top floor.

A wry smirk curved his face. '_It seems I can make one last super-cool spy exit,_' he thought, turning to run towards the stairs leading to the roof.

He took the steps two at a time, distantly hearing savage growls as the hounds got closer to his scent.

Slamming through the door, he ran out onto the roof until he was near the edge.

He bent over, breathing heavily and coughing as he relaxed his muscles.

He heard shouts from behind the door, the voices muffled by distance, but still there. He didn't have much time left.

Lifting his hands to his mouth, he placed his fingers in and blew harshly, a high pitched whistle echoing out to the night sky.

Soon after his whistle ended, there was an echoing call of a bird and the flapping of wings. Hayate saw the brown falcon heading his way, and quickly jabbed at his throat. He gagged and coughed harshly, lifting his hand to his mouth.

After several more violent coughs, blood spurted onto his hand along with a tiny micro-chip. Panting, and with blood dripping down the sides of his mouth from having the jagged object scratching back up his throat, he held his arm out for the falcon to land on. The claws sunk into his flesh, and he winced, knowing there was no avoiding it.

The bird looked at him, and he looked back.

"Take this to Sarutobi...Do not fail." Hayate murmured, slipping the micro-chip into a leather satchel attached to the birds leg. The bird ruffled its wings and screeched. Its head dipped down, briefly pressing against Hayate's cheek. The brunet smiled slightly.

"It's been fun, Hayamaru," he whispered before he flung his arm up, sending the bird into flight. It flapped away, sending one last echoing call back to him.

Hayate took a deep breath as the door behind him burst open and he turned around in time to see several large dogs charging towards him. A malicious grin curved his face as he saw the three men following the animals.

"May you gentlemen burn in the fiery depths of hell." He said and pushed himself back off the roof before the dogs could grab him.

The last thing he saw as he plummeted towards the glass awning over the entrance of the fifty story building was a figure standing at the edge, black hair swaying in the breeze, and a hand placed over their heart.

Hayate felt a smile curve his lips as he closed his eyes.

'_Mission complete._'

The sound of glass shattering filled the night.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>*bows* For all Hayate fans please...DON'T KILL ME! DX It's just...it was...necessary. Q_Q I love Hayate too (even though I like...never use him) but he played an important role in this... *nods resolutely* yep yep.<strong>

**Aaaanywho, how did ya like it? ^_^ Good? ._. Not so good? DX WORSE THAN THE FIRST?.!**

**Let me know in a review if you please!**

**See you next time! *super-cool-spy-exit*... *glass shattering* Oops... *things falling over* MY BAD! *cat squealing* WTF? *silence* ...  
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	3. One Heck of a Party

**Hello everyone! Well, I'm sick as a dog, but I had a moment of clarity long enough to get out of bed and go over this chapter before posting it, since it's now Wednesday (for me) so yeah, time to update. I will try to keep these updates going and hopefully I won't be sick for too long but please be patient with me on updates! But either way, here we go! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

**Also, a quick thank you to Lyn-sensei on deviant art for her lovely little pictures dedicated to this story! They're so cute! :3 If ya'll wanna see em, I got links posted under Agent Duck-Butt fanart! They're really cool, so THANK YOU LYN-SENSEI! *throws love around*  
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**Warnings: oh, I'm sure you can all guess what to expect, after all it's me right? Mmh, but there might be some new readers. Well anyway, violence and language, crack humour on occasion and otherwise silly-seriousness! (How I accomplish that is still a mystery!)  
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**Disclaimer: This was already covered! (But I will add an amendment stating all O.C's are, of course, owned by me!)**

**HERE WE GO!  
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* * *

><p>Sasuke straightened his tie in the mirror and smoothed his bangs slightly. Giving himself a once over, he nodded in approval with his appearance.<p>

"You know bastard, you can take your time. After all you've only wasted thirty minutes of our pre-designated hour. A few more won't matter!" a mocking voice spoke, and Sasuke scowled over at the blond leaning against the doorframe.

"Shut it, Uzumaki," he snapped and Naruto held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Oh fine! Leave that little grey hair alone then," he said, and smirked when Sasuke immediately went back to the mirror, eyes darting over his appearance rapidly.

"...What grey hair?" he asked, sounding just a little bit nervous.

Naruto chuckled and Sasuke realized he'd been fooled and glared at the blond. He roughly pushed past, causing Naruto to snort at his actions.

"Someone sensitive about their looks?" he teased, and Sasuke made sure to give him a middle finger salute over his shoulder.

Naruto rolled his eyes. Another new assessment he'd made of the Uchiha: He was as childish as Naruto was; he just hid it better.

Side by side, they strolled down the elegant hallway towards the front door. A sleek black limousine was awaiting them and they climbed in with minimal shoving this time.

Sasuke sat down and smoothed over his pant legs before looking at the man sitting across. Naruto took a seat next to him, flicking his wrists and straightening his cuffs before he too looked at the third man in the car.

Kakashi folded his legs together and rested his hands on his knee as he observed the two. As soon as the door was shut, the limo started to move.

"Okay boys, here's the low down," Kakashi began. "Little over half an hour ago, we received a message from our spy in the organization. It seems that he was caught and compromised, else he wouldn't have sent the chip," Kakashi's eyes closed briefly, and both younger men bowed their heads.

They knew very well what it meant when a spy was 'compromised' and had to send something before the designated time.

"...Who was it?" Sasuke asked softly.

Kakashi sighed heavily. "Hayate."

Sasuke nodded curtly, offering a silent prayer for the man. Naruto's face was solemn as they continued driving.

"But the information we received was Hayate's suspicions of the organizations next target. It appears they have been collecting things from certain influential figures using various methods. Blackmail and hostages are just a few of the methods reported. They've bought from others or traded as well."

Naruto leant forwards. "Do we know what they have been gathering?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No, Hayate was compromised before he could gather the details. However, he managed to gain information of the next person who had whatever it was they needed. From the information, it seems these people have been refusing to agree. They've managed to hold off on their own pretty damn well. Hayate suspected that since no other methods are working, the organization might kidnap the heads of the company they're targeting in order to get it."

"You mean they're targeting the Sabaku siblings?" Sasuke inquired.

Kakashi nodded. "As you know, there's a grand ball being held at the Sabaku Hotel, and the siblings are attending in place of their father. It would be a good opportunity for the enemy to kidnap them since they don't often come into the spot light. Tonight, you boys have two objectives. You are to both watch over the siblings as well as try and get information on what it is they're keeping a hold of that the organization wants so badly."

Sasuke and Naruto nodded in understanding as the limo approached a large building.

Kakashi took a breath and looked between the two of them. "There is a good chance the only way you'll gain info is by speaking to the siblings themselves...if it comes down to it..." he trailed off looking at Naruto intensely.

Sasuke also turned to look at the blond, wondering what Kakashi was going to say. Would they have to take the siblings somewhere for interrogation? Perhaps kidnap them themselves? He'd heard of missions that involved those cases, and while he'd never done it personally he'd heard about some interrogations.

However when he caught sight of Naruto's face, he paused. The blond was biting his lip, looking a bit resigned.

"You understand, Naruto?" Kakashi inquired. "After all, considering who trained you, I would imagine you've often dealt with that particular method."

Naruto snorted. "Are you joking? Half of my training was focused on mastering that method to begin with." He leant back and sighed. "Although I'd prefer if we could avoid resorting to that," he added thoughtfully.

Kakashi nodded. "Make it a last resort. See if you can't get a guard or company worker to slip up some information first, and perhaps snoop around the main offices for documents or computer files."

Sasuke nodded, feeling more than a little annoyed over the fact that he wasn't sure what 'method' the two had been referring to. And yet Naruto knew?

That was just wrong, right there.

Finally the limo pulled to a stop and Kakashi cleared his throat. "Okay boys...play nice together and make me proud," he winked as the door was pulled open.

Naruto and Sasuke shared a look, which turned into a slight glare before they slid out of the car, one after the other.

Naruto took a breath of the cool night air and looked up at the enormous hotel before them. Large marble pillars held up an arching dome roof before walls with engraved lions and other ferocious looking creatures met his eyes. The entry was framed with a golden arch that flared out to form a rim of golden sand dunes the ended behind two large potted palm trees.

Naruto didn't even want to think of how elegant and rich it would look in the inside.

Sasuke cleared his throat and began walking up the large marble stairs. "Come on dumbass," he called over his shoulder.

Naruto frowned and narrowed his eyes before quickly walking up the steps. "Bastard."

Before they could reach the entrance however, Naruto pulled Sasuke to the side and spun the confused raven around to face him. Blue eyes roved over Sasuke's face before tan hands started fiddling with the pristine tie.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke snapped angrily, reaching up to pry the hands off of his suit. However, a short grunt from Naruto made him pause.

"Relax, prick, I'm helping you out. The impression we're planning on making inside is the type of people that are professional but still sociable. If we want to have a chance at simply talking to the heads to get information, it'll be easier if you don't look like you were pulled out of a business deal," Naruto explained. He loosened Sasuke's tie slightly and then reached up to run his hands through Sasuke's hair. With a few flicker movements with his fingers, he got Sasuke's raven locks to return to their odd spiked style at the back. Naruto patted down on Sasuke's shoulders and stood back slightly. A large grin formed on his face.

"There! Now you don't look like someone shoved a pole up your ass and left it there! Someone might actually ask you for a dance!" he declared proudly.

Sasuke scowled. "I don't want to dance, dumbass. We're on a mission!"

"Yes we are. And part of the mission is to blend in and 'spy'. So you might have to dance." Naruto flicked Sasuke's nose like he was reprimanding a pet, and Sasuke looked ready to electrocute him once more.

Laughing at his partner's murderous expression, Naruto grabbed the raven's elbow and pulled him towards the entrance. "Come on bastard. Show me what you're made of!"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The inside of the hotel had almost knocked Naruto off his feet in its level of elegance. Pure white walls were decorated with what looked like golden thread hangings which, when seen from a straight-forward angle, also depicted a large mythical beast standing over a small village.<p>

The floor was a royal red carpet and several large, Persian rugs were placed at different areas to create a diamon shape around the room. Comfortable brown leather chairs formed small circular areas, each with a rounded coffee table and an expensive looking lamp.

The furniture was all either made of wood, glass, leather or what appeared to be marble and suade, and the colours gave off an earthy, yet celestial air. It was an incredible mix that left most people feeling stunned upon entry. However, the most breathtaking feature was the ceiling itself.

With a layout that was set much like Michelangelo's painting on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, was a very exquisitely painted mural of what looked to be the same mythical beast from the thread hangings. It began with the beast destroying a village. After that, an image of the village people offering up a small child to the beast as a peace offering was shown. The next image portrayed the child talking to the beast and taming it. And finally, the painting finished with the same image shown in the threads of the beast standing guard over the village. Visible in the crowd of people, easily spotted by the ethereal glow around them, was the small child that had tamed the beast.

Naruto found himself staring up at the ceiling, his eyes focusing on the image of the child being offered to the beast. He wondered why this particular story had been chosen to paint.

A slight tug on his sleeve made him tear his eyes away from the amazing sight. Sasuke sent him an annoyed look that clearly stated 'Concentrate, moron' and Naruto rolled his eyes in response.

"Let a man admire some good artwork," he chided. Sasuke shook his head and continued to stride away.

"We don't have time for gaping at the roof. We've got work to do," he drawled over his shoulder. Naruto sighed and sunk his hands deep into his pockets. He really had hoped the Uchiha could at least _act_ like he didn't have a pole up his ass.

'_Tch. Maybe I could offer to remove it?_' he thought as he followed after the raven. His steps slowed slightly as a look of confusion took over his face. '_Okaaay...that was a very odd thought._'

"Dumbass! I'm not waiting again!" Sasuke's harsh voice cut through his inner confusion. Naruto shook his head to clear his thoughts and quickly caught up with the raven, walking by his side.

They entered the large hall where the ball was being held, and were met with the sight of many, many people in formal and undoubtedly expensive clothing. Woman wore elegant gowns and dresses, and the men wore suits of various colours and finesse. There was a large stage off to the right, and a miniature orchestra was residing there, playing a slow melody for the people who had chosen to dance. Tables were placed around the edges of the room, offering a reprieve if one wished to watch from the sidelines.

Sasuke's eyes darted over the hall, taking every detail in and looking for escape routes, entries, possible blind spots and advantage points. Naruto was doing much the same, but he focused more on the people. His eyes studied face after face, making quick assessments of each and every person in the room. His mind frame went along the lines of '_Normal...normal...Possible threat...normal...normal...fugly...normal...nice rack...normal..._'

"The siblings will most likely arrive from those double doors," Sasuke murmured softly, nodding towards the large redwood doors on the other side of the room that rested on a raised staircase. Naruto hummed in agreement, looking over his shoulder.

"These doors will remain open for the evening," he stated, seeing the notice board. Sasuke glanced at it and nodded.

"That is both useful and troublesome. While it will be easy for the crowd to escape should something happen, it would be just as easy for the threat to blend in and escape with the siblings."

Naruto dug his hands deeper into his pockets. "Perhaps...but I have a plan that will help with that," he said, offering a smirk.

Sasuke tilted an eyebrow in question and the blond slowly walked towards the door to lean against the frame casually. Sasuke followed curiously, and his eyes took in the way Naruto's hands shifted in his pockets. He smirked a little, guessing what his partner wanted to do. He stepped up to him, looking down at him slightly as Naruto leant heavily against the frame.

Blue eyes met black, and slowly, they started talking.

"Not too bad, dumbass."

"I told you not to underestimate me, jerk."

Sasuke's lips twitched. "Whatever...bitch."

Naruto's eyes flashed and he frowned. "Don't make me hit you."

"Hn." Sasuke's smirk widened. His foot moved forward, hooking behind Naruto's and pulling. The blond slipped, his hands flying out of his pocket to slap against the frame harshly to stop himself from falling to his ass. He hissed loudly as he struggled to stand while Sasuke watched in amusement. Finally, after a few more seconds of struggling, Naruto seemed to finally get a good grip and push himself into a standing position.

"You asshole."

"I thought you were going to hit me?" Sasuke teased, already moving to walk away. Naruto glared and shoved his hands deep into his pockets once more, following after the raven.

They moved into the crowd before letting triumphant smirks curve their faces briefly.

The small, long, wiry device stuck in the corner of the doorframe was practically invisible to prying eyes.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The evening began without a hitch, and soon enough there were many people waltzing to the slow song played. Some of the tables were occupied as groups gathered to talk about business, wealth, and other snobbish things.<p>

Sasuke kept to the corners, gliding along the walls and keeping his eyes open. So far, they hadn't encountered anything strange. The siblings had yet to arrive and while that had worried Sasuke at first, his blond partner had already gone to check. Sasuke frowned slightly. He knew that Naruto wasn't exactly going to sit back and just take orders like a good boy, but it annoyed him when the idiot made a smart suggestion before he could.

Shaking his head, he pushed the childish thoughts out of his head. As much as he disliked the blond and hated the fact he had to have a partner on this mission, he knew there was no choice. This mission was vital and if he had to work alongside Naruto just to make it work, then he'd grit his teeth and do it.

Failure was not an option, he reminded himself.

As he continued to circle the hall, he wondered how far Naruto was and what progress he'd made.

* * *

><p>Naruto tilted his head slightly to peek around the corner. He spotted two men standing outside a large door, talking casually. One of them turned slightly and his blue eyes caught the glint of a shining revolver in a holster.<p>

He turned his head, pressing his lips together in thought. Looking all around at the marble white walls, he hoped a good idea would come to him. Sliding his back against the wall while he thought, his attention was drawn by the sound of locks clicking. He peeked around the corner once more and saw the two guards opening the doors.

Once they moved out of the way he saw three people gliding through the doors. The first was a tall, sturdy looking woman with blond hair tied back into four buns. She was wearing a long, elegant black dress with a slit up the side, offering flashes of her smooth leg with every step. Her face was stern, her eyes narrowed as she looked at the two guards.

Naruto almost whistled in amazement. This woman was _tall_.

'_Temari Sabaku, aged twenty-eight. Damn..._' he thought, watching as she stepped forward and to the side waiting for her companions. '_She looks like one fiery dame._'

The second person to walk through the doors was a slightly shorter and stocky man. His brown hair was combed and gelled back, but judging by the slight waves in the locks his hair was more of the shaggy type. Naruto's eyebrow rose to his hairline when he noticed the man was wearing purple lipstick and eyeliner.

'_And this fruit loop must be Kankurou Sabaku, aged twenty-six. The one who enjoys theatre,_' he mentally recited. Kankurou was wearing a smooth, deep purple and black suit with a vibrant plum coloured tie.

Finally the last person walked out and Naruto's lips twitched in concentration.

'_Gaara Sabaku, aged twenty-one. Youngest of the Siblings and the rumoured prodigy of the Sabaku family._' He watched as a man the same height as he was walked into the light. Blood red hair was loosely brushed down, and teal green eyes were lined thick with black rings. Naruto frowned deeply when he realized the rings were not make-up, but a natural skin toning.

'_Rings like that...sure some insomniacs suffer from dark rings but to that extent? That's unusual._'

The youngest sibling was dressed in a simple black suit with a crimson tie. He walked up to his older brother and sister and nodded once before the three lined up. Temari stood in the middle with Kankurou to her right and Gaara to her left.

The three Sabaku heirs then started to walk down the hall, towards where Naruto was ducking away from. He quickly trotted down the hall, mumbling to himself.

"Okay, so they were just taking their sweet time...All this sneaking for—" he was cut off when he turned the corner and bumped into a large, burly looking man. His blue eyes widened when the man turned around and saw him. "Oh! Uh..." '_Holy shit-bags, if Shrek was a real person!'_ he thought, taking in the man's appearance.

The guard sneered, reaching out to grab his shoulder. "What're you doing here kid?" he rumbled, his voice deep and thick. Naruto winced slightly as the hand on his shoulder squeezed tightly and the blond set his mind to work on an excuse. He let out a nervous laugh.

"Oh, well I was looking for the restroom," he said, looking up at the big man and smiling passively. "A waiter a bit far back pointed me towards them, but I'm rather hopeless with directions and I got a bit lost."

The guard looked a bit unsure for a few moments. "Well...then I guess..." Naruto internally grinned when he felt the hand loosen on his shoulder. "I guess that's fine. It's back in the main hall, down that passage," the guard said, pointing down the hall. "You just walk down the hall, into the main hall and then follow the signs."

Naruto gave a chuckle. "Thank you sir. Hopefully I won't get lost again!" he said, hearing the footsteps of the siblings drawing closer. Waving at the guard he quickly hurried back towards the main hall.

Taking the same route he'd used to get in, he exited through a small side door he'd located and once more slipped into the corner of the room instead of exiting through the large double doors at the top of the short staircase.

Darting into the crowd of people, he drifted through until his eyes caught a familiar hairstyle and he steered his way towards it.

Sasuke had just completed his third scope of the room and was thinking about the best way to approach the siblings when they arrived. Hearing a giggle from behind him, he looked over his shoulder only to hold back a sneer.

Three young women in tight dresses were standing there together, giggling and ogling at him. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. The ladies had spotted him during his first rove around the room and had been tailing him since. Although he had lost them several times, it didn't take too long for them to track him down again. After all he stayed in the same room.

Another poorly disguised giggle reached his ears, and he turned around to tell them off only to see crystalline eyes blink at him. He lurched back, his eyes widening briefly in his surprise before he hissed.

"Dumbass, don't do that!" he snapped. Naruto grinned cheekily.

"What, did I scare you?" he asked before tilting his head back and smirking smugly. "'With reflexes like that I can see I'm going to do most of the work.'" he said smugly, using Sasuke's own insult against him.

Sasuke growled in his throat, but quickly crushed down the primal urge to punch the blond in favour of work.

"Did you find the siblings?"

"They were just dawdling. They'll arrive in a few seconds." Naruto said, and sure enough there was the sound of the large doors rumbling open. The crowd looked towards the doors as one to watch as the three siblings walked into view with elegance and grace.

Sasuke quickly scanned the siblings, making his personal assessments of them before his eyes snapped to the crowd, looking for anyone suspicious. The black irises lingered on a man with fiery red hair tied back into a short pony tail, and who was sipping his drink and eyeing the siblings intently with sharp green eyes. However, before Sasuke could start to make any assessments of danger, the man turned away to answer his companion, hidden from view by the crowd.

Sasuke let his eyes continue, searching every face in range for some kind of sign of danger but so far he had nothing.

The oldest sibling was now making a speech, but Sasuke only listened with one ear. He had a horrible feeling that something was wrong. His gut was clenching and his nerves were on end. It was a natural instinct for him.

Gently, he reached to the side and snagged Naruto's sleeve. Tugging lightly, the blond leant towards him and Sasuke tilted his head slightly to whisper into his ear.

"Something's going to happen...I can feel it."

Naruto eyed him for a moment before he nodded tightly. "Me too...And it's coming fast."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the upper left corner of the room exploded, sending a shower of splintered plaster and wood, shredded paint and material and shattered glass over the room. Screams erupted all around while people ran for cover, tripping over themselves and others. Sasuke and Naruto were already in action, backs pressed against each other while their eyes scanned the room.

"There! Right corner, 3 o' clock! Gunman!" Naruto yelled, reaching under his jacket for the pistol he kept in case something like this happened.

"Hn." Sasuke whipped out his own pistol and spun around. With one hand, he used the blond's shoulder as leverage to haul himself in the air, above the crowd. Closing one eye, he scowled and shot. The gunman cried out, falling to the ground spastically while he dropped his weapon and stilled against the carpet. Sasuke landed in front of Naruto and sent him a superior smirk.

Naruto cocked an eyebrow, admittedly impressed, but there was no time for some witty banter. Especially not since he saw another black-clad gunman aiming straight for them.

"Get down!" he yelled, swinging his arm around. Sasuke bent backwards, clearing the way and Naruto fired. The bullet hit the gunman square in the chest, and they smashed backwards into the wall from the force before disappearing behind the table.

Sasuke swept back up, and the agents shared a look of acknowledgement before darting into action, jumping over the crowds. Men wearing full body black suits were storming in, carrying large guns and shooting at the agents when they managed to spot them.

Sasuke seemed to glide through the crowd like water, efficiently taking out one gunman after the other.

Naruto jumped and leaped, varying between shooting the assailants to downright stepping on their faces and knocking them clean out. They would be dead or unconscious before they hit the floor at the rate he was going.

As he jumped once again, he glanced towards the large door. Most of the crowd was surging towards it, and he felt a little bad that not everyone of them would get through unscathed, but it had to be done.

Sure enough, as people ran out the room, a few screeched out before dropping down, unconscious. Naruto caught sight of the little red light blinking on the special gadget he'd stuck into the door earlier. It was a nifty little device that detected metal like a motion sensor, and it sent a very small, yet high voltage bolt through the air to the target, stunning them instantly.

Naruto heard a gunshot ring out and cursed, twisting his body in mid-air and avoiding the speeding bullet. He thrust out his arm, tapping the trigger and sending the attacker to the floor in a splash of blood. He grinned, but the grin died when he landed. His foot slid on some of the blood and he took a moment to flail his arms about stupidly, trying to keep his balance. When he managed to straighten up, his only thought was '_Please dear God, don't let Sasuke have seen that..._'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke had seen that.<p>

As much as he would have loved to go over to the blond and ridicule him on his less than graceful landing, his attention was diverted by the seemingly endless stream of gunmen swarming the room. Had he been any less of a logical person he would swear they were re-spawning like the enemies in a video game somewhere.

However he ignored his irritated thoughts and continued to take them out, finding satisfaction in the way they would drop like flies under his gun.

Suddenly, a loud shout ripped through the air, gaining both agent's attention.

"GAARA!"

Naruto spun around in time to see someone hoisting an unconscious Gaara over their shoulder while Temari and Kankurou struggled against two gunmen's hold.

"Let my brother go you bastards! He doesn't want anything to do with you!" Kankurou roared, trying to knock his captor in the jaw but was unsuccessful. Instead he got a harsh punch to the gut that left him doubled over in pain while Temari shrieked in anger.

"You bastards will pay for this! You hear me you fuckers! We will get you back for this, you lying scumbags!"

There was another explosion, this time from the roof. Rubble and marble fell everywhere, raising dust clouds that suffocated the room's occupants as they fought to find an escape route. Sasuke covered his head with his arms, wincing when a few large rocks bounced right over him or off of him. Looking to the left he noticed Naruto dodging other falling rubble, gaining a few scratches along the way.

When the dust had cleared enough for them to see without blinding themselves, they saw that a helicopter was hovering near the impressively large hole in the roof, and a ladder had descended. The person holding Gaara was climbing up the ladder at a fast pace. Temari and Kankurou lay dazed on the ground, cuts littering their forms.

Naruto cursed and started to run towards the ladder, which had begun to ascend. Sasuke did the same, his jaw clenching when he realized they wouldn't reach it in time...unless...

"Naruto!"

Sasuke had reached the ladder first, being the closest. However it was too high for him to reach, even in a jump. And so, he spun around to face the oncoming blond and held out his hands in a brace. Naruto got the hint and sped up; he jumped, landing on Sasuke's hands. The raven let out a yell as he forced his arms up, launching the blond in the air.

Naruto stretched out his arm, catching the very end of the ladder as it whipped out of the room. He hissed when his leg knocked against a jagged edge of roof roughly, but brushed aside the pain to start climbing up the ladder.

Sasuke had started to run, intent of keeping the helicopter in his sight. He shoved through the remaining crowd, shooting any rogue gunmen he saw. Knowing he'd get stunned trying to go through the main entrance, he instead jumped through a sizable hole in the wall where a large piece of ceiling had smashed through. Running down the steps, he saw the helicopter was heading East towards the coastline. In the distance, he could just make out the head of blond hair as Naruto climbed up the swinging ladder.

Pushing himself, he ran down the streets, already pulling out the small communication device.

"This is Agent Sharigan! Come in!"

"Copy Agent. What's the situation?"

"Full scale attack on the hotel. Gaara Sabaku was captured and is being transported via helicopter. Agent Kyuubi is currently in the helicopter trying to bring it down. I'm on foot in pursuit. They're heading towards the coastline, probably to an island base."

"...Probability of getting Gaara back?"

"Assuming Agent Kyuubi has any talent at all, a sixty percent chance of getting him back, forty percent chance of fatality for both Agent Kyuubi and Sabaku," Sasuke called out, narrowing his eyes as Naruto finally climbed into the helicopter. Immediately he saw flashes, indicating gun fire before it cut off. Since the helicopter kept going, he could only assume that the guns had been thrown aside...

Or Naruto was already dead. Something in his stomach dropped at the thought, making him frown.

"...Sir, I think—"

He was cut off when a black suited body came tumbling out of the helicopter, and with a feeling of sadistic glee, Sasuke noticed it was one of the assailants.

"Think what, Agent?"

"I think the probability for success just increased, sir."

"Excellent. And for the last damn time, Agent, I'm only _twenty-seven_! Cut the 'sir' crap!"

"Whatever Kakashi."

Sasuke flipped off the communicator and instead focused on running faster. Suddenly, he remembered another gadget Shikamaru and Chouji had supplied, an almost smacked himself across the face for not thinking of it sooner. He skidded to a stop and quickly crouched down, feeling the sides of his shoes. Finding the small button, he pressed down and the sound of electronics and mechanics at work met his ears before he jolted. Small wheels had unfolded from the thick soles of his shoes, and Sasuke felt some slight apprehension at the small exhaust pipes that slid out at the heels.

Shikamaru and Chouji were geniuses, but they tended to make some incredibly lame and/or cliché gadgets.

Frowning, Sasuke pushed down his pride long enough to...click his heels together twice.

He felt like he was in some kind of cheesy musical.

It didn't help that, right before the miniature rockets sent him speeding off, he noticed the street name.

"_Broadway_? You've got to be kidding-" the rest of his sentence was lost as he was suddenly zooming down the street, only just managing to reign in his balance before he was dragged along the road. Bending his knees slightly, he looked back up; noticing he was gaining on the helicopter and a smirk curved his lips.

"Alright idiot, let's see what you can do."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto had finally managed to climb into the helicopter, and had just straightened up. His plan had been to sneak in, grab Gaara, put a tracker on the copter and then sneak out with the red headed captive and rub his victory in the stuck up Uchiha's face.<p>

Unfortunately, today was not his lucky day, as the moment he'd stood straight, a gunman near the front turned around.

It had been comical for a moment, with the man turning, spotting him and turning back nonchalantly for three seconds before it caught up with him and he spun around, screaming.

"GAAAH!"

Naruto mentally cursed his luck as the rest of the people in the copter-the large total of four including the pilot- turned to face him, guns drawn. He reached back, ready to shoot the lot of them, but his hand groped nothing but air.

Oh right, his gun had fallen when he was doing his spectacular ladder climb.

Perfect.

"Shit," he hissed, and quickly dived to the side as bullets decorated the wall behind him. He noticed Gaara was tied up, still out cold and resting on a seat. Well at least he was comfy.

Looking around, he saw a small box with extra supplies, and reached in, grabbing a flask full of coffee. When the bullet's stopped, he dived around the corner again, swinging his arm and sending the flask flying. It hit the closest gunman straight in the face, and he fell backwards into his companions. Two of them dropped their guns, and Naruto ran up, kicking the last one out of their hands. The one that had remained standing darted forward, rearing an arm back to hit him. Naruto blocked the blow, countering with a leg to the side that sent the man sliding across the floor and out the open door. His scream faded as he fell, and Naruto took a second to think '_That's going to leave one hell of a mark_' before he blocked more oncoming punches. The second attacker was faster than the first, dodging his attacks as quickly as he dodged theirs. Naruto tried to think of a way to end it, since he could see the third guy getting to his feet. A punch connected with his jaw and his eyes widened as he was hit with inspiration, no pun intended. Wheeling around, he punched towards the left, and as he had expected the person dodged right. Unfortunately for them, he'd already sent his second fist right while they'd been looking at the one to the left, and a loud crunch was heard as a nose broke under the blow.

While that person gripped their face, moaning in pain, the final person shot forward. Belatedly, Naruto realized this person wasn't wearing the same full body outfits like the others, but rather a fancy suit.

He guessed this was the guy who had been in the hall and taken Gaara in the first place.

A punch was aimed for his head, and he dodged low only to have a knee crash against his jaw, sending him backwards. Grunting as he hit the wall, he stepped to the side and avoided the knife imbedding itself into the wall.

"Not bad, Agent," the person said with a smirk, their green eyes flashing dangerously. "But let's see you dodge this!" and then there were daggers flying towards him. Naruto avoided as many as he could, grabbing the nearest object –a metal tray- and using it to deflect the ones he couldn't avoid.

A sharp pain struck his leg and he yelled out, knowing he'd missed one.

"Dammit!" He launched himself forward, but his leg gave out. He fell to his knees and hissed, only now realizing the bastard had stabbed him right at the joint of his knee, rendering his leg pretty useless while the knife was still in there.

"It's over, Agent," the guy said, standing tall and withdrawing a long blade from the seemingly endless supply in his inner pocket.

"Seriously man...where the hell do you keep all those things?" Naruto wheezed, sending a confused look to the guy. When the red headed man looked decidedly uncomfortable, Naruto shook his head. "Never mind, I don't want to know. I'll be mentally safer that way."

"Whatever. Now just shut up and die peacefully."

"Sorry man, but I don't do peaceful." And with that, Naruto flicked his wrist, the dagger he'd been hiding in his palm slicing through the air and hitting the guy's ankle.

"Holy hell!" the guy roared, dropping to his knees and grabbing his bleeding ankle. "Low blow!"

"I'm on the ground, so it's pretty high for me." Naruto replied cheekily, grinning. His eyes scanned the area quickly and finally noticed the parachute pack attached to the wall by Gaara. He knew it would be hard, but since when was anything ever easy in this line of work? With a grunt of effort, he moved up, hopping a bit ridiculously towards the parachute like a retarded rabbit.

Thank God Sasuke wasn't there to see him.

"No way! We're not done yet!" the guy yelled, forcing himself to his feet. Naruto cursed, grabbing the pack and slinging it on. He grabbed Gaara, grunting at the extra weight.

"Sorry dude, but I got to fly." With a salute towards the advancing opponent, he jumped out, holding Gaara under one arm.

Below, Sasuke saw the blond jump out and sped up slightly. He looked up and noticed the person in the helicopter reaching for something and yelling at someone in there. Suddenly, he was back at the door, holding a large rifle and aiming for the falling blond. While Naruto pulled the parachute, Sasuke grabbed his gun and quickly took careful aim at the helicopter's fuel tank.

The person in the helicopter looked through the scope, but all they saw was the smirking face of one pale raven.

"Oh shi—"

The gas tank exploded, sending the helicopter spinning out of control towards the coast.

Naruto watched over his shoulder as the helicopter careened towards the beach, landing and exploding, lighting up the surrounding area like a fantastic bonfire, the heat reaching the blond even where he floated towards the ground with the unconscious man in his arms.

Sasuke carefully clicked his heels again, bringing the rockets to a halt so that he could glide to a stop near where Naruto would reach the ground. A satisfied smirk was on his face as he looked up to welcome his so called 'partner' on the mission.

"I have to say, idiot, not bad at all...I suppose," his smirk was only a little bit less mocking, but Naruto grinned in response.

"You too...I _suppose_."

They were not yet at the level of compliments without insults, but they've made some progress at least.

Sasuke pulled back his sleeve, once more activating the small communication device hidden so originally inside his watch, he turned around, his back to Naruto. He didn't see the slight look of panic on the blond's face as the ground came up fast.

"Agent Sharingan here."

"Is everything alright, Agent?"

"Yes. The target has been recovered safely," Sasuke paused in his report as Naruto finally reached the ground behind him, his leg giving out as he reached the floor. He stumbled, dropping Gaara who simply rolled to the side while Naruto tripped over his own foot and collided with the ground harshly, the smack of flesh on concrete echoing.

"OW!"

"..." Sasuke blinked slowly, before taking a breath and continuing as though Naruto hadn't just performed one of the worst landings ever, "Enemy was destroyed."

"Any idea where the hell they were planning on taking Sabaku?"

"No sir, but I believe the siblings themselves know. We'll have to interrogate them."

"Roger. I'll send a team to bring them in. Also, a team will be coming to your location to pick you both up as well as Mr. Sabaku. Injuries?"

"Cuts, bruises, and I think the idiot got stabbed in the leg. Also, he seemed to have been dropped on his head when he was young, is it possible to rectify that or is it hopeless after all?" Sasuke smirked.

"I heard that you jerk! But while you're at it, ask them if they know how to remove that cactus that's shoved up your ass!" Naruto's voice called from behind him, and Sasuke resisted the urge to shoot the moron in his other leg.

"...Sounds like you guys are getting along splendidly." Kakash's voice was very much amused, and both agent's growled in response. "Alright, alright. I'll send in a medic to you as well to take care of any injuries. They'll be at your location in fifteen."

"Roger that."

Sasuke pulled his sleeve down and finally turned, seeing Naruto sitting amongst the rumpled folds of the parachute. Gaara was still unconscious, but look otherwise unharmed but for a few bruises on his person.

Sasuke walked over, standing over Naruto with his hands in his pockets.

"So...You actually managed to retrieve him without getting killed."

Naruto scowled up at him, his blue eyes narrowed in annoyance. "You know, asshole, the tone of surprise is really unnecessary."

Sasuke smirked. "That's Agent to you, moron."

"Fine. The tone is unnecessary, Agent Duck-Butt." Naruto's grin was oozing cheek and mischief while Sasuke glared down at him.

"Shut your face, Agent Fish-Cake." Sasuke smirked when Naruto's face lit up in embarrassment.

"Asshole."

"Idiot."

"Prick."

"Loser."

"Pansy."

"Bitch."

Naruto, despite his leg, pounced onto Sasuke, knocking them both to the ground where they proceeded to roll around, snarling and hissing like angry cats.

By the time the retrieval team and medic arrived, the boy's had a few more injuries than originally reported.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The ocean water was calm and serene, the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the deep blue depths.<p>

Along the beach, however, scraps of burnt and mangled metal could be seen every few paces before finally, one would come to the sight of a destroyed helicopter, the entire machine blackened by flames and mangled from the hands of destruction.

A few paces away in the water, a bubble broke on the surface, creating a ripple.

No more than a few seconds after, three people burst out of the water, gasping for air and spitting out water.

"That...why that..." the first one growled, swimming towards the shallow end before stopping where the water hit his waist line. His red hair had come loose from the tie it had previously been in, and his eyes were shining with anger. "That bastard!"

The second person groaned as he reached the shallow area, a few steps behind his comrade. He reached up, rubbing tenderly at his askew nose. "At least he didn't leave you with a souvenir," he commented bitterly.

The first spun around, skimming the water with his hand and sending it to splash on the other's face, making him choke.

"Shut up! The humiliation of defeat at the hands of those...those absolute _morons_... is enough of a scar for me!" the red head screeched before he began stomping his foot underwater like a frustrated child and splashing water everywhere around him, cursing loudly.

The third member of their group sighed, pulling off his pilot helmet and tossing it aside. "Just calm down," he said, shaking his own red hair out of his face.

The first spun around, pointing a finger at him accusingly. "Don't tell me to 'calm down'! It's thanks to my quick actions that both of you are even alive in the first place! If I hadn't grabbed you and jumped before the copter hit the beach, we'd all be dead and burned and sitting in pots of boiling oil with merry old Lucifer telling us bad jokes!" he yelled, crossing his arms and glaring at the other red head.

Said red head was staring towards his lower regions, and the first man squirmed after a moment.

"WHAT?.!" he yelled, frustrated. "WHY ARE YOU STARING AT MY CROTCH!.?"

The other red head coughed into his hand. "...You have an air bubble," he said slowly, averting his eyes and hiding a smile behind his hand.

The first looked down, seeing that he did, indeed, have a bulge in his pants due to an air bubble. He gritted his teeth so tightly he heard a crack, and pressed two fingers between his eyes while his two companions muffled their amusement.

"Pfft." The second didn't quite manage it.

The next thing he knew, something small and pointy was sticking out the top of his head while a thin trickle of blood ran down. He blinked before the pain caught up with him, and he began thrashing around the water, screeching.

"You just _stabbed_ me in the _head_!"

The first was already marching towards the shore, his glare ready to set any living thing on fire in its path. His look-a-like followed, sighing as he passed the frantic man trying to pull the miniscule shard of metal from his head.

"Bro...What's our next move? We need to report to our employers."

The first slowed, a cold sneer curving his face.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll go report to those uptight dicks in a moment. But I swear," he glared towards the streets, seeing a large black van driving away. His eyes narrowed, "The next time I see those Agents, they're finished."

He tilted his head back, a wild look in his eyes as he suddenly began laughing.

His injured companion shuddered, rubbing at the wound in his head while the other red head only shook his head, smirking.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>...Lol?<strong>

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Reviews are appreciated!**

**Kaoru: You mean demanded. :3**

**Juura: No, I never demand anything!**

**Kam: *snorts* Suuuuuure you don't...¬_¬**

**Juura: Silence FOOLS! *breaks into coughing fit* Agh, and get me some meds! T_T**

**~See you guys next time!~  
><strong>


	4. Sneaking Around is What We Do Best!

**Hello all! ^_^ Good to see you again!**

**Good news: My health is improving (I'm almost completely well) and here's another chapter for you sweeties!**

**Bad news: ...it's a surprise. :/**

**So without further ado (because I honestly cannot think of something witty to add here XD) I give you the next chapter of Agent Duck-Butt!**

**P.S- A HUGE hug to everyone who's reviewed...I mean, HOLY SHIT! Look at the number! And it's only four chapters in! Both me and the darling who helped inspire me to write this are so pleased with the way it's going! So we send love to you all! ^_^ Thank you so much and we hope to continue hearing from you and any others who stumble upon our little ficlet!**

* * *

><p>Kakashi sighed, flipping a folder closed and looking at the three people sitting across from him. His visible eye lazily, and obviously, traced over the curves of Temari Sabaku's chest, and she glared at him in response.<p>

Kakashi, however, paid no mind to the deathly glare and simply continued his lazy examination of her and her two brothers.

"Why are we here?" Kankurou spoke up, fidgeting in his seat. Kakashi sighed, tapping the manila folder against his knee as he began to explain.

"Questioning...you see we need to find out why those men tried to kidnap little Gaara here, and we believe that you know why. However, we have to wait for the two agents that will be working on this to arrive before we can start. My apologies...Usually _I'm_ the late one," he said as his eyes strolled over to the door, and he mentally pouted. He had taken extra time to be late and somehow Sasuke and his new partner had _still_ managed to be even later than him.

Kakashi felt insulted.

Finally, the sounds of people in the hallway could be heard, and the man almost groaned at the manner of the conversation he was hearing.

"I told you to wait for me!"

"And I told you to keep up."

"I have an injured leg you asshole!"

"And apparently an injured brain too, since the simple act of one foot in front of the other doesn't seem to register in that thick head of yours."

"Why you son of a—"

The door opened, and both Sasuke and Naruto stepped in, blank faced and fully professional as if they hadn't been bickering like an old married couple only moments before. As insulted as Kakashi was that they had the gall to arrive later than him-that was just _rude_- he couldn't help but be impressed with the fact they knew how to shut up and look cool when in front of civilians.

And they didn't even have to wear sunglasses!

'_Oh, they're good_,' Kakashi thought, smirking behind his mask.

Sasuke and Naruto moved in unison, taking their seats with elegance before looking across to the three siblings.

"Mr. Sabaku, Mr. Sabaku, and Ms. Sabaku...It's a pleasure to meet you," Naruto held out his hand, a winning smile on his face while Sasuke kept a blank look, giving a polite nod in place of a handshake.

'_Oh they're very good_.'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>"Shave my ass and call me a bitch..." Naruto groaned, leaning back in his seat and slinging an arm over his eyes. There was a snort from nearby.<p>

"I'll pass on the shaving, Bitch, but thanks for the offer," Sasuke said monotonously, staring out the window with his hands in his pockets. In the reflection he saw Naruto give him the finger and his lips twitched in a smirk.

"Those siblings sure knew how to keep a lid on their secrets." Naruto let his arm slide down until it rested beside him. "What exactly did we learn anyway?"

Sasuke let out a huff of a breath, still looking out the window. His brow furrowed in thought as he named everything they had learned from the earlier conversation.

"We learned that Ms. Temari is a rather foul mouthed individual, Mr. Kankurou has an unhealthy obsession with his purple face paint and puppets and Mr. Gaara might as well be named a mute since he doesn't talk unless he finds it absolutely necessary."

There was a pause before Naruto spoke up.

"So basically...we know jack-shit?"

Sasuke gave a reluctant and curt nod. "Basically."

Naruto huffed, pushing himself up from his seat. He wobbled for a moment on his shaky leg before hobbling his way over to the window beside the one Sasuke was currently staring out. The raven saw his limp in the reflection and smirked, turning and opening his mouth to comment. He didn't get the chance when Naruto held up a hand, blue eyes glaring.

"Don't even think about it, you ass."

Sasuke slowly closed his mouth, letting his lips curve into a smirk while he continued to stare.

"Hn."

Naruto tilted his head, an eyebrow rising. "Were you raised by apes? Is that why you always make the sounds they do?"

Sasuke's smirk vanished and he replaced it with a ferocious glare. "Watch it, Uzumaki."

"Oh sure, you're allowed to make insulting comments, but the moment _I_ do, it's a big issue! That's very fair." Naruto rolled his eyes, leaning against the windowsill. Sasuke only glared a bit more before turning his face to look out the window again. Naruto absently tapped his foot, which was in a thin cast, against the floor. His eyes roamed over the office. Kakashi had told them to wait and relax until he returned with their next assignment.

'_Yes, let me relax with McBrood standing in the room. And they call Kakashi a genius why?_' Naruto thought, sending a glance to the raven standing a few feet away. The evening light was shining down onto his hair, giving it a more bluish tint than there was in the sunlight. His skin seemed to shine in the fading light, and Naruto found himself tilting his head to see if the shades of pale changed. It was strange how Sasuke's skin seemed to be pearlescent at the right angle in this sort of lighting.

Sasuke heard the slight shuffling from the next window and took in a calming breath before turning. He paused when he saw the idiot tilting his head to the side, dazzling blue eyes fixed on his face. He found himself growing restless under the unwavering gaze, and he, heaven forbid, started to feel the signs of a light blush.

"What are you doing, you moron?" he snapped, not at all liking the incessant staring. Naruto's head whipped back upright, and he placed a hand on his hip while giving Sasuke a very serious look.

"Sasuke...I'm going to ask you something, and I need you to be perfectly honest. It's of the utmost importance." His voice was dead serious too, and Sasuke felt his back stiffening as he usually did when he was going into a no-nonsense mode.

"Hn. What is it?"

Naruto stared at him for a moment longer before his lips twitched into a small smile. "...Is it Maybelline?"

Sasuke took four seconds to react. Naruto took six seconds to block the small ornament tossed at his head and retaliate.

Kakashi took ten minutes to explain to the Chief why his office now looked like it had been ransacked by a bunch of crack-addicted chimpanzees.

**~ADB~**

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><p>"For crying out loud, you two! I can't leave you alone for a few minutes without you guys going for each other's throats!" Kakashi snapped, slamming a folder onto the table. Naruto and Sasuke tensed at the noise, but neither moved. Their eyes stayed trained on the table top while Kakashi paced in front of them.<p>

The silver head put his hands palm down onto the table and leaned closer. "If this is the way you behave, then perhaps I was wrong in suggesting you two for this mission. If you're incapable of even sitting quietly in a room together, how the fuck are you supposed to save the entire country together?" Kakashi growled, true anger coating his words.

Sasuke looked up, surprised. "...You suggested us?" he inquired softly while Naruto also peered up, blue eyes wide.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "Yes I did. I thought that you two were best suited for this mission, given your track records. However, I'm starting to rethink my placement in faith..." His eyes turned steely, and both younger men looked down in shame.

"...I'm sorry."

Sasuke and Kakashi looked over to Naruto. "What was that, Uzumaki?" Kakashi snapped.

"I said...I'm sorry. It was my fault the fight started. I was baiting Uchiha," Naruto shifted in his seat. "I'm sorry."

Kakashi leant back, crossing his arms. "If that's the case, I'm not sure it's wise to leave you on this mission. It might be better if I took you off—"

"Hn. It's not entirely his fault."

Kakashi subtly slipped, and quickly turned to Sasuke. His grey eyes widened in surprise when he saw Sasuke looking way, almost in embarrassment.

And was that a slight discolouration to his cheeks? Oh my...

"Excuse me?"

"...I baited Uzumaki too. We are both at fault."

Sasuke had no idea why he was defending the idiot. Honestly, he should keep his mouth shut and then Naruto would be kicked off the mission and he could have it all to himself; just like he'd always wanted.

So why did the thought of going at this mission alone sound so...unappealing?

He decided not to dwell on the matter when Kakashi leant back, giving him a calculating gaze while Naruto stared at him in shock.

"Bastard, what're you doing?" Naruto hissed, narrowing his eyes.

"Hn." Sasuke had no answer to his question. All he could do was stick to his world famous non-committal conversation piece so as to save himself the trouble of trying to come up with a reason for his uncharacteristic behaviour.

Silence descended on the room as Kakashi continued to observe the two of them, before finally he sighed.

"Alright. I know that you two are the best candidates, and I really want to keep you both on this mission. But if you ever cause a ruckus like you did tonight again, I'll have no choice but to send Naruto back to his Agency, and reassign Sasuke somewhere else. Understood?"

"Understood," the men echoed, nodding. Kakashi returned the gesture before straightening up.

"Now then...we've received some more Intel on this group. We believe they have an operational base by the East coast. A large factory that makes steel crates, actually. We've received word that they're using this company as a cover for their true goals. Your mission is to go to that factory, collect the database files and anything that might be of use in their system...and then destroy the place."

Naruto grinned. "So it's an in, info, wipe-out mission then?" he asked, feeling excited that he was going to be allowed to smash some shit up this time around. At Kakashi's nod, his grin expanded and he laughed to himself. "Excellent."

Sasuke smirked. It was a well known fact that all agents loved I.I.W.O missions. After all who wouldn't love being able to go ape-shit once the first two objectives were done and destroy anything they saw however they pleased-as long as no innocents were harmed or collateral damage was caused, of course.

Kakashi smiled at them, understanding where the eagerness came from. "I'll de-brief you on the way there. For now go get your gadgets and suit up. If our info is correct, the place has high security near the system rooms, so you'll need to do some serious sneaking. You know; that thing that we spies tend to do on a mission."

Sasuke's smirk widened while Naruto just laughed.

**~ADB~**

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><p>"I'm sure it was a left..." Naruto said slowly, his lips smoothing out in concentration. Squeezed beside him, Sasuke was gritting his teeth tightly, his eyes shut and a vein throbbing erratically in his forehead as he mentally counted to ten over and over again. Naruto, although seemingly oblivious to the raven's anger, was in fact doing his level best not to show his own annoyance.<p>

Currently, they were in the vents spread out in the factory, looking for the right way to the main offices. Through openings and grates, they could hear and see the night workers below as they went about their nightly business. Of course, this wasn't an ordinary steel crate making company.

After all, how many companies required their employees to carry weapons at all times?

After finding an opening, Sasuke had decided that the best way to go was through the venting systems and Naruto had agreed, saying he had studied the blue prints and therefore knew how to get to the main office. So Sasuke had let the blond man take the lead for once and they crawled through the dusty metal hallways together, flashlights aimed low and gloves creaking as they flexed.

After several turns, they had come to a large vent intersection and Naruto had hesitated. Sasuke, thinking there was an obstacle, had tried to squeeze past but soon found out the real issue. The result was them stuck in the one vent, pressed tightly together while Naruto tried to figure out which way was the right way without getting them hopelessly lost.

"...Yes, I'm sure it was a left."

"You idiot!" Sasuke snarled, his patience finally snapping. "Fuck that, we're going right!" Sasuke growled and surged forward. Naruto hissed angrily when his elbow was jolted painfully as Sasuke wriggled past, but as he opened his mouth to comment, one of Sasuke's thighs rubbed across his face, muffling his protests. Once the raven was ahead into the larger vent, Naruto tried to rid himself of the leathery taste on his tongue, glaring at the raven's backside as he crawled behind him.

"You realize I could shove something up your ass right now?" he asked snidely.

"Don't even think about it, Uzumaki," Sasuke warned darkly, his tone dripping with a thousand threats. Naruto chuckled as they reached the end of the vent. It was a dead end, but there was an opening leading out into the room below. They could hear something going on below, and so forgetting their argument, they scooted closer to the opening and peeked through the metal grid.

"Oh! Oh yes, baby! Oooh!"

"Pffft!" Naruto slapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter while Sasuke ducked his head low, the vein now spreading and creating a pulsing spider web across his forehead. The room below was an office, but it wasn't the office they were looking for. However, it wasn't empty at all and the man and woman were currently...occupied.

"Mmn! Oh right there! Ah yeah!"

Naruto's entire body was convulsing with silent laughter as he began to shift backwards away from the opening. Sasuke followed him, his lips twitching.

"OH IT'S SO BIG! I'M GONNA EXPLODE! AAAH!"

They were back at the intersection within seconds and Naruto was letting his laughter out into his hands, his legs kicking into the open air around him while tears began to form at the corner of his eyes. Sasuke was lying next to him, his face stony.

"Ahahahaha!" Naruto gasped for air quickly before throwing a look at Sasuke. "B-bastard...I _told_ you it was a left!" he wheezed out before returning to his fit of amusement.

Sasuke grunted unhappily as he began to head for the left vent while Naruto followed after, still laughing softly.

"But seriously...she sounded like a cat or something..." he bit his lip to hold in another guffaw of laughter. Up ahead, Sasuke's lips twitched upwards.

"Hn...I was thinking more of a possessed turkey to be honest."

Naruto laughed the rest of the way to the correct office, his muffled voice accompanied by the soft, barely audible snickers of his raven haired partner.

Finally, they reached the right office and Sasuke reached into the black pouch around his waist, pulling out a small device. He positioned it over the screws of the metal grate and pressed a button. There was a soft whirr as the machine sprung to life, long metallic limbs extending down and beginning to unscrew the grate at hyper speed. The screws fell out with a soft chink, and Naruto carefully lifted the metal grate and placed it on the other side of the hole.

The two shared a look, black clashing with blue before they nodded simultaneously. Sasuke slid himself through the hole first, dropping down and rolling once until he was pressing his back to the wall, his hands already holding up the Desert Eagle pistol beside his head as he kept a look out. Seeing the area was clear, he gave a low whistle as a signal to Naruto.

Naruto slid his legs through the hole, glancing around the vent to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything. Upon seeing all was well he carefully dropped down, also rolling once until he was beside Sasuke, his own gun under his fingers.

"Main office is next to this one, down the hall. Security type?" he whispered, and Sasuke slid along the wall to look outside the small door window. He narrowed his eyes to see better through the panelled glass.

"Two security guards standing outside the door...low armour. My guess is that they're only the first security. Chances are that the 'main office' isn't like an office at all. There's most likely going to be high security features beyond that door. Lasers, timed detectors, sensors...the works."

Naruto nodded, moving across to the other side of the door. He took a deep breath, giving Sasuke a brief, confident smile before he pushed through the door.

"Evening!"

"He-"

Sasuke bit his lip as two silenced gunshots dully sounded in the hallway and he stepped outside to see the guards lying dead, blood pooling around them. Naruto was already by the door, working on picking the lock.

"Dammit, this lock is tough!" Naruto grunted, hating the high class locks that most people and company used nowadays. Honestly, was nothing easy anymore?

Sasuke stood beside him, frowning as he looked at the guards. Suddenly something caught his eye and he leant down. "Naruto..."

"Just a sec, Sasuke! I've almost...got it..." Naruto's tongue was poking out in his concentration as he tried to get the lock open. Suddenly, his tool snapped and he pulled it away in disbelief. "No fucking way! The lock has an automated lock-pick response! How the hell are we going to get through?" he hissed.

A jingle sounded behind him and he turned to see Sasuke smirking, holding something that glinted in the light.

"Maybe by using the _keys_, moron?" Sasuke suggested tauntingly, jiggling the keys on the ring around. "Seriously, Uzumaki, you should check the pockets of the guards you kill...they usually have the keys." And with that Sasuke shoved the indignantly gaping blond aside and inserted the key into the lock, turning it smoothly.

An audible click sounded before the door swung open. Sasuke smirked down at Naruto, who glared at the door as if it was to blame.

"Well Uzu—"

"Shut up," Naruto snapped, striding past Sasuke. The raven smirked happily at his victory and followed the blond, being sure to close the door behind him.

They entered a long, silver hallway. Sure enough, criss-crossing every which way were several red lasers, creating an impossible-looking barrier.

Of course, for agents, the word 'impossible' was not in the vocabulary list.

Naruto and Sasuke shared another look, this one filled with challenge and cockiness.

"I'll go first, idiot," Sasuke said, stretching out his arms and fixing a crick in his neck as he walked towards the lasers.

Naruto huffed, crossing his arms and grinning. "Alright then Uchiha...let's see what you got."

Sasuke smirked back at him before turning his entire focus on the lasers.

He took a deep breath, analyzing each and every single one before moving.

Running forward, he cleared the first one by leaping over it, and the second by rolling under. He came to a stop, his nose inches from the third before he bent back and slid under it. The fourth had two lasers intersecting, so Sasuke forward flipped through the opening before slowly doing a backwards handstand over the next one.

Naruto stood, watching as Sasuke moved through the seemingly endless obstacle course with grace and ease. His eyes were trained on the way Sasuke's muscles flexed, stretched and contracted under the tight black, full body leather outfit they both were wearing. His mouth went a bit dry when Sasuke bent backwards, and he quickly licked his lips, wondering why watching the guy made him feel weird.

In a good way '_weird'_. And feeling a good weird about Sasuke wasn't, well..._good_!

But even so he couldn't tear his eyes away from the sight of Sasuke's body twisting, turning, stretching, curling and all around moving around in a poetic and deadly dance as he cleared the lasers, landing on his feet with a triumphant 'Hn'.

Sasuke turned and offered a mock bow before looking up, his eyes widening when he noticed Naruto was staring at him with an almost glazed expression. Something in his gut stirred at the look and he swallowed before forcing a smirk.

"What's the matter, Uzumaki? Afraid you'll get burned?" he teased, sweeping his hands out to indicate the lasers.

Naruto snapped out of his daze at the words and growled. "Yeah right, bastard. That was nothing! Watch a master at work now!" and he stepped up to the first one, wiping his mouth and rolling his shoulders.

With a grin, he easily cleared the first and second lasers much like Sasuke had, and the third he spread his legs and did a strange leap, almost like a frog, and landed smoothly on the other side where he pushed himself off the ground and frog-jumped through the opening in the fourth. The fifth he cleared with a sharp turned cartwheel.

Sasuke stood, watching the blond move through the lasers a bit hazardously, yet with a surprising speed. While Sasuke took his time, assessing and passing each with a slow pace to ensure success, Naruto zipped through them, flipping, sliding, frog-jumping and cart wheeling over and through the lasers. He had reached the seventh laser when Sasuke would've still been on the fourth.

At the last laser, a rather annoying one that rose up and down rapidly, Naruto finally slowed to a stop. Obviously he knew that he had to time this one perfectly.

Sasuke watched the way his eyes seemed to sharpen in concentration, the way his tongue poked out between his teeth as he waited. When he tensed, his muscles were clearly outlined by the tight leather he wore, and Sasuke felt himself salivate a bit. He quickly swallowed, hoping that whatever this strange feeling in his gut was, it would go away soon. It was starting to annoy him.

Naruto darted forwards, jumping and spiralling in the air. He sailed over the laser, a strand of blond hair hitting the laser and getting sliced clean off and floating to the ground.

Naruto landed in front of Sasuke, skidding slightly and bumping his chest against the raven's. He looked up, grinning and found his nose almost brushing Sasuke's. They stared at each other; Naruto's smile faltering as Sasuke just blinked bemusedly.

"..."

"..."

"...Personal space bubble invaded," Sasuke breathed.

"Right, sorry."

Naruto quickly stepped away from Sasuke and the two turned their attention to the next door. The air between them was rather awkward as they approached it and they both reached out at the same time, their hands bumping. They jerked their arms back, glancing at each other before simultaneously looking away, feeling all the more awkward and somehow..._shy_.

After an entire minute of heavy, awkward silence, Naruto growled.

"Dammit! We're spies! We don't stand around awkwardly, we kick ass and make super awesome entrances and exits! Now let's go!" he declared excitedly and rushed forwards, lifting his leg and kicking the door open.

He was rewarded with the door rebounding off the other wall and slamming into his face, sending him tumbling back with a howl of pain.

"SWEET QUEENS OF GEORGIA!"

Sasuke gaped, watching as Naruto clutched his nose and flailed around, moaning in pain. A snort erupted from his mouth and he quickly clapped a hand over his lips to stifle any more, but the damage was done.

Naruto looked over at him, eyes watery from pain. "Did...did you just _snort_ at my pain?" he asked incredulously.

Sasuke bit his lip, slowly removing his hand only to reveal the barely suppressed smirk of amusement. "Hn... well Uzumaki, you _did_ just get owned by a mere wooden door. What were you saying about 'super awesome entrances'?"

Naruto glared at him, rubbing his nose tenderly. He was lucky it wasn't broken!

Growling about bastards, doors and the unfairness that was the world, he trudged through the open doorway and into the next room.

"Oh fuck me..."

Sasuke only just heard the sigh before Naruto came shooting out of the room, a large, snarling dog atop him. The raven back flipped out of the way, and gasped when Naruto slid to a stop close to the lasers. He moved towards the blond, but Naruto's hurried voice stopped him.

"No! Hurry up and get to the office! This thing's making a huge noise; they'll be sending people up soon! Get the files!" the blond snapped as he tried to shove the raging animal off of him. It looked like a Bulldog mixed with a Great Dane or something of the like. Either way it was fat, ugly and looked to weigh ten tons.

But the most important thing was that it was fucking huge with large, razor-like teeth and it was looking at Naruto as though he were the juiciest piece of meat on the planet.

Sasuke hesitated for a moment before nodding and turning towards the door. Just before running through it, he turned to look over his shoulder straight into Naruto's wide blue eyes.

"...Hn. Don't die, idiot."

And with that he was gone.

**~ADB~**

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><p><strong>Haha, well how was it? Sorry about the cliffhanger...but yeah that was the bad news. : Next chapter will be out sometime next week. ^_^**

**I hope you all enjoyed it and remember:**

**Kaoru: I will molest you in a corner if you don't review. O_O  
><strong>

**Me: NO! DX THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT!  
><strong>

**Kaoru: Oh...oops. **

**Me: Dumbass!**

**~See you all next time!~**


	5. Explosives for Dummies

**Hello all! ^_^ It's time for another chapter of Agent Duck-Butt! It's a nice long one too! I hope you enjoy it! (I certainly remember enjoying writing it! XD)**

**Well, I won't waste any time since I cannot really think of anything to say up here. :/**

**Warnings: Language, crack-y humour and such...XD the usual things you'd expect from me!**

* * *

><p>"'Don't<em> die'<em> he says," Naruto huffed, struggling against the large beast trying to chew his face off. The blond grunted, shoving roughly and sending the dog skidding away. Reaching up, he wiped some sweat off his brow as the creature shuffled back to its feet. "I bet he felt so cool saying that."

Naruto jumped as the dog came charging forwards, and landed neatly on the other side. The large canine was barking furiously, slobber and spit flying everywhere from its large mouth. Naruto covered one of his ears against the loud noise, wincing. He backed away, his back hitting the wall after only three steps. The beast was glaring at him, advancing slowly and snarling. Naruto kept eye contact, not backing down.

With a loud bark, the beast came running forwards again. Naruto timed it, before swinging his fist down. He struck the beast right on the nose, and the animal yelped loudly before scurrying away, tail between its legs. Naruto grinned in triumph, watching the beast huddle in a corner and whine pitifully.

"Heh," he laughed, giving himself a pat on the back. "How's that for not dying, Uchiha? I sure showed him!" he boasted, smirking triumphantly and standing in a hero's pose.

He was so caught up with his victory, he didn't notice the door on the other side of the lasers open, and four men rushed in.

It was the bullet that slammed into the wall next to his head that snapped him out of his hero-stupor. He yelped, diving to the side to avoid another barrage of bullets while mentally scolding himself for being so inattentive.

'_Thank God Sasuke wasn't here to see that..._' he thought, pulling out his gun and cocking it before swinging his arm around and firing. '_He'd never let me live it down, the stuck-up, prissy asshole._'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke sneezed before looking up, narrowing his eyes.<p>

'_I feel vaguely insulted for some reason..._' he thought in confusion before shrugging and continuing his way down the hall, gun held at the ready. He stopped at the corner and peeked around, seeing another door; this one made of metal with a large, obviously complex locking system keeping it shut. He guessed this must be the main office.

It was only after he made that brilliant assumption that he noticed the small metal plate in the middle of the door that said 'Main Office'.

'_Smooth, Sasuke...real smooth,_' he thought mockingly, mentally hitting himself for missing that.

Slowly, he crept towards the door, checking for cameras and shooting them out when he found them. He reached the door with little hassle and knelt down, reaching into his trusty satchel and bringing out the automatic lock picking device Shikamaru had so graciously given him. Carefully, he attached the spider-like device to the door, watching as the metallic legs drilled into the metal like a knife through butter.

He pressed a small red switch to reveal the keypad and carefully inserted the code Shikamaru had practically stitched into his memory.

Soon, the small screen was flashing different numbers so fast Sasuke didn't even bother trying to remember any of them. After a minute, he heard a loud, metallic clang and the door slowly started to grind open as the device flashed green. Sasuke smirked, pulling said device off the door and placing it back into his satchel. As lazy as Shikamaru was, and as food-obsessed that Chouji was, those two made some awesome and useful gadgets.

As the door finally opened, Sasuke slid through it and kept his eyes trained ahead. The main office was extremely dark, but in the distance he could make out a few computers, their screens emitting an eerie blue glow to the area around them. Cautiously, Sasuke eased his way through the dark space towards the computers.

'_Okay, if the Intel is correct, the password is 'Katsu'...odd password...I wonder if the idiot is alright?_' Sasuke smacked himself across the face. '_No! I don't care about that moron! Tch, let him get shot in the ass for being a clumsy git._'

Just then, the cocking of a pistol was heard and Sasuke's head shot up. "Shit!" he hissed, not knowing where the sound had come from and therefore not knowing which direction was safe to dodge.

"LOOK OUT!"

Sasuke grunted as another body collided with his, and he was sent to the floor along with whoever had saved him even as something whizzed above him, and suddenly a loud shout of pain filled his ears.

Sasuke quickly pushed himself up as a light flickered on, and he saw Naruto kneeling beside him, gripping his fists together and groaning in pain, a vein throbbing in his forehead.

"Agent! What happened?" he asked quickly, pulling out his gun and gazing around to find the shooter. He saw someone duck behind a large filing cabinet and fired a shot to keep them there.

Naruto moaned, looking up at him with pained blue eyes.

"I just got _shot in the ass_!" he gasped, before glaring through the pain. "And all because I was saving _yours_!"

Sasuke swallowed uncomfortably, remembering the nasty thoughts he'd had about this very situation only a moment before. He decided to forget ever thinking that; after all you cannot regret what you don't remember!

"Hn. We'll get you a diaper once we're out of here," he said, already turning to look for the shooter. Naruto growled, whacking him across the back of the head lightly even as he fixed his own grip on his gun. Slowly, they stood up-"FUCKING OW!"- And started to creep towards the filing cabinet.

Sasuke took a breath and counted to eight in his head. Then he swung around the corner, Naruto right behind him. They both fired two shots, but the bullets smashed into the wall without objection.

There was no one there.

Cursing, Sasuke turned to Naruto and used his fingers to begin communicating. He signalled for the blond to move forwards and keep his eyes open.

Naruto stared at him before smiling sheepishly. "I never really learned the signals properly. Were you telling me to move forward, or asking me if I'd like to eat your first born son?"

Sasuke slammed his hand over his eyes, stopping himself from punching the man.

"Just keep an eye open while I get the files!" he hissed, darting to the computer. Naruto made an understanding noise, sliding beside him and holding his gun at the ready.

While the raven typed quickly, eyes scanning the screen at high speed, Naruto kept his own eyes peeled for any sign of movement. Sasuke finally found all the files, and quickly inserted the hard drive to begin storing them. While it began to load, Naruto caught sight of movement.

"Duck!" he yelled, and both agents bent to avoid the bullets zooming by. They returned the fire and Naruto moved forwards, leaving Sasuke to look after the files. Although his ass hurt like hell, the bullet had really only grazed it; but it was still pretty deep and plenty painful.

Rounding the corner, he saw the figure darting away and quickly fired a round. He just missed.

"Whoever this guy is, he's pretty good," the blond admitted grudgingly. He quickly moved forwards, following the shadowy figure. He turned around another shelf and saw a long hallway. The person, a tall man wearing a flowing coat with a hood, was running the opposite way.

"Gotcha!" Naruto grinned, and started to chase the man, raising his gun. Taking aim, he fired. His jaw dropped when, at the last moment, the man dived and rolled, the bullet shooting past and slamming into the wall.

Naruto cursed when he saw the gleam of a gun barrel and quickly bent back, yelling in pain from his backside even as a bullet grazed his chest, tearing the material of his leather suit. He was about to straighten up when something wrapped around his wrist. Eyes wide, he saw it was a metal wire, thin and barely visible. He yanked, but found his other hand had been caught too. Realization struck him like a hammer to the crotch.

'_He set a trap!_' he thought frantically. Struggling, he only succeeded in getting the wires even more tangled than before. A loud click brought his attention back to the shooter, and he panicked at seeing the gun aiming straight for his face.

"OH GOD NOT THE FACE!" he yelled frantically. "IF YOU HAVE TO KILL ME, AT _LEAST_ LEAVE MY FACE INTACT!"

The gunman actually snorted, and kindly lowered the gun to aim for his heart instead. Naruto grinned.

"PSYCHE!" he yelled, kicking his foot out. A small, hidden dagger whizzed out of a secret compartment in his shoe and struck the shooter in their gloved hand. The person cursed, dropping the gun while Naruto twisted his body as much as he could, letting his other hidden dagger slice through the thin metallic wires.

As he was freed, he looked up in time to see a bloodied fist soar towards his face. He tried to dodge, but wasn't quick enough and the limb grazed his cheek, making him hiss. He returned the punch with an uppercut, but the person blocked it with their arm and returned it with a harsh kick to the chest.

Stumbling back, he swung out his leg but found that attack blocked and returned with an elbow slamming against his knee.

"AGH!" he yelled in pain, his leg crumpling beneath him at the shock. He looked up, seeing the person holding the dagger he'd thrown. His eyes widened as the dagger swung down.

'_It's...over?_' he thought in horror. He'd never imagined he'd die like this. It was so...uncool.

I mean, really? Getting shot in the ass, getting tricked, then getting kicked around before getting stabbed?

That was just plain pathetic.

Before he could die the most uncool death known to an agent, a gunshot rang out and the person stumbled back, their hood falling off their face.

Sasuke came running up behind Naruto, reaching down with one arm to pull the injured blond to his feet. Naruto winced, but kept himself steady, leaning against Sasuke slightly.

Both agents watched as the person straightened up, gripping their shoulder. Long blond hair flowed out from under the hood, falling over one blue eye as the...man...glared at them, growling.

"Damn you agent bastards!" the man snarled. His eyes were steely and cold as he glared at them. Sasuke stood, his gun aimed at the man's face and his expression blank and indifferent.

"Hn. Damn you terrorist bastards," he countered and smirked when Naruto snorted and leant against him even more. He pointedly ignored the warm feeling in his shoulder where they made contact.

The other blond, the evil one, began to chuckle. "So, the Agency has finally caught wind of us?" he breathed, and snorted again. "Took you long enough, hm."

Naruto growled and Sasuke glared, cocking his gun. "What is this organizations goals?" he asked.

The blond man laughed again. "Oh right, like I'm just going to tell you," he said sarcastically. "Please, I'm not that pathetic, hm." Suddenly he grinned, "And this fight isn't over!"

A lighter slipped into his hand from his sleeve, and with a click the small flame lit up.

Both agents' eyes widened when a trial of flames suddenly came shooting towards them. They realized it was one of the metal trap wires. They were covered in gasoline!

Sasuke quickly scanned the trail's planned path and his eyes bulged at seeing it led to a small crevice in the wall that seemed to be stuffed with...

'_Gunpowder! Shit, it's a bomb!'_

Immediately, Sasuke spun around, wrapping his arms around Naruto's middle. Naruto barely had time to gasp before Sasuke was diving backwards, taking him along with him.

As they landed painfully, the wall where they'd been a moment ago exploded inwards, and some rubble still smacked against both men as it scattered.

Sasuke cursed, squinting through the smoke to see that the enemy had vanished.

"Dammit," he snapped, before a groan made him turn to the blond beneath him. "You okay?"

Naruto groaned again, his eyes scrunched shut in pain. He had landed right on his injured ass, and pain was shooting up his spine. But he could deal with it. He had to.

He opened his eyes. "Yeah, I'm...uh..." his sentence died in his throat as he finally realized exactly where they were. Or more, what position they were in.

Naruto was on his back, blinking bemusedly up at Sasuke, who was hovering over the blond and resting between his legs. Naruto felt his face begin to heat up and he awkwardly cleared his throat.

Sasuke was confused by the blond's reaction. However, soon realization dawned on him, and a look of horror came over his face. Quicker than the bullets that had been fired from his gun moments before he was scuttling away from Naruto as if the man was the black plague itself. When he was at a safe enough distance, he nodded curtly.

"You're fine. Let's go."

Naruto nodded, shoving all awkward and slightly inappropriate thoughts out of his mind as he climbed to his feet, wincing as he went. Carefully, they moved through the smoke, guns kept at the ready.

They walked through the hall, trying to find some sign of the blond enemy when suddenly Naruto nudged Sasuke's shoulder and nodded towards the floor. A trail of blood droplets could be seen, and with a nod of affirmation, they began to follow it.

It led to a small stairwell that undoubtedly led to the roof.

Sasuke started to head up, but when Naruto tried to follow he stopped him. "I'll take care of the bomber, you get the hard drive and then try to find a way to destroy this place," he instructed, and Naruto gave a small nod.

Sasuke moved to continue, but a hand grabbed his elbow, he paused, looking down into Naruto's face.

"What?"

The blond stared at him before cracking a smile. "Don't die."

Sasuke blinked before a smirk worked its way onto his face.

"Hn."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke reached the door leading to the roof and briefly leant his head against it, closing his eyes and listening intently. He could faintly hear a murmur from behind the door, indicating the man was standing nearby.<p>

"-told you they'd eventually catch on, hm." Sasuke concentrated on his hearing, wanting to catch any information he could.

"No, the operations here are finished, hm...Yeah, last shipment left an hour ago. Just before these bastard agents arrived, hm. What?...No, I wasn't able to stop them...What? But I-...Tch, I understand, hm."

Sasuke strained to hear more, but it seemed he'd gotten all he was going to get as he heard the man placing the phone away. He took a deep breath, and counted to eight in his mind.

Then he kicked the door open and ran out, gun swinging around in time to counter the blow aimed for his head. The gun was knocked out of his hand, landing far off and he quickly caught the fist aimed at his face, muscles tensing.

"Damn, you're persistent, hm!" the blond yelled angrily. Sasuke smirked, twisting around and back handing the man across the face, sending him stumbling.

"Hn."

"Hm."

The match was on.

Sasuke charged forward, bringing his leg up and narrowly avoiding a hit when the man tilted to the side. Hands grabbed his ankle and Sasuke hissed as he was pulled forward. He used the momentum to his advantage and kicked out with his other foot. A crunch sounded and his opponent yowled in pain, letting go of his ankle and allowing Sasuke to quickly catch himself and back flip to a safe distance.

The blond growled, glaring at him with icy steel eyes as his nose dripped blood. Suddenly, he grinned again.

"Hm," he smirked.

Sasuke's head shot up as he heard a beep, and with a loud yell he was thrown through the air when the ground right behind him exploded. He skidded along the floor, hands scrabbling for purchase. He coughed, wincing at the pain from the fall but quickly straightened up.

'_What the hell was that?_' he thought, looking back at where he'd been standing. It looked like a miniature land mine had just exploded. His eyes widened and he quickly surveyed the entire roof, noting that after a few seconds interval, miniscule lights would flash all over the roof.

'_The fucker set bombs everywhere!_' he thought in horror, realizing that he was literally standing on a concrete mine field. The blond man laughed, obviously knowing he'd finally discovered the little gifts. Sasuke glared at him, but didn't move. The lights flashed every ten seconds, but only stayed lit for two seconds and there were so many, he didn't know where it was safe to step or not. That would make it difficult. Obviously the door had the least bombs planted around it; hence he was able to fight freely in that area.

He growled, waiting for the lights to flash again. When they did, he saw an opening spot near the blond and quickly leapt towards it. He landed and swung his fist around, but the other man caught it in his own and shoved. Sasuke cursed as he stepped back. A tell tale beep sounded and he leapt away as quickly as he could, the ground exploding seconds after he'd left the ground. He landed and cursed aloud as another beep sounded. Jumping from spot to spot, leaving a trail of explosions in his wake he could hear the blond laughing evilly from his safe little spot.

Sasuke gritted his teeth as he finally landed on a safe spot, catching his breath after having jumped, flipped, sprinted and other wise hop-scotched his way around the seemingly endless sea of hidden mines.

He took a deep breath, keeping his eyes trained on the blond that was now smirking victoriously at him.

"You can't win, agent," the man said, raising his arms. Blood dripped form the wound in his hand and his shoulder, but he seemed to be oblivious to the pain now that he could taste victory. His grin stretched wider. "And besides, even if you managed to figure out a way to avoid all my presents," a sinister laugh echoed as the man pulled out a small black device, "Neither you nor your partner will be leaving this place in one piece, hm."

Sasuke stared at the small device, realizing it was a remote controller for a large scale explosive.

'_He had the building rigged to explode from the start...I guess since whatever needed to be done here was done, they planned to destroy any evidence, just like us._' His thoughts were disrupted when he finally saw the large button on the device.

Or, to be more specific, the large and shiny _pink_ _smiley face_ button.

An eyebrow raised, his lips pursing in confused annoyance. The blond man blinked, looking towards the controller. His face went red with anger and he clutched the controller so tightly Sasuke heard the creaking of abused plastic from where he stood.

"Dammit Tobi!" the man snarled, looking murderous. After a moment, he cleared his throat roughly and began to wave the controller around; making sure the button was hidden from view. Slowly, he began laughing, getting back into his 'villain' mode.

"YES! This entire building is set to blow at the press of a button, hm! You are all under my mercy and my control if you wish for your lives to be spared!" the man grinned wickedly as Sasuke tensed, trying to find some solution to this situation. If he moved, he was likely to get blown to bits. If he managed to keep all bits in their rightful place, the madman before him would press that horrendous-in-more-ways-than-one button and they'd all be blown to bits anyway.

It was not looking good.

He kept trying to think of something to do even as the man began to rant again, gloating about his superior fighting skills, his excellent trap, his better hair-care products...Sasuke was fairly certain this man was more nutty than a peanut factory.

"And then we shall rule the—" whatever the blond was going to say was lost as a loud crunch echoed across the rooftop, and the small black controller fell to the floor, button side up.

Sasuke gaped as the door to the stairs burst open, hitting the gloating villain right in the face with such force Sasuke was surprised there wasn't a face-shaped indentation in the door...

Oh no wait, there was.

Damn that must've been _hard_!

Naruto came limping out the entrance, and his eyes easily found Sasuke, an urgent look on his face.

"Hey bastard, this whole building is wired with bombs! Whoever runs this place wasn't planning on keeping it for much longer," he said, oblivious to the face-shaped indentation inches away from his own.

Sasuke continued to gape, not able to comprehend that while he'd been jumping around like a lunatic trying to land a solid hit on the bomber, _Naruto_ had undoubtedly knocked the fucker out with a door...by _accident_!

Naruto, for his part, raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Uh, did I miss something?" he asked, looking at Sasuke carefully. He took a step forward, and his foot ended up pressing the large pink button on the black device.

Sasuke's eyes bugged. "YOU IDIOT!" he roared, gripping his hair.

Naruto jumped, startled at the sudden yell, and the device was crushed under his foot. He yelped, looking down at it.

"What was _that_?.!" He cried, hands flailing. One hit the door, making it move inwards to reveal the blond bomber lying unconscious behind it, bloody-faced and with the oddest pained-grin on his face. Naruto stared at him, looking more confused than ever.

"_Who_ is _**that**_?.!" He yelled.

Sasuke cursed as he heard an automated voice from inside the building start a countdown until the destruction of the building, as well as the screams from employees running for their lives. Throwing caution to the wind, he began to run forward, jumping and flipping every so often to avoid a mine as it exploded under his foot.

Naruto was now panicking; completely confused by everything around him. "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?.!" he screeched, waving his arms wildly like a bird even as Sasuke landed beside him. The raven heard the countdown reaching the tens and swore colourfully.

"We have to get out of here! This entire building is going to go!" Sasuke yelled even as the building began to shake as some of the lower levels started to disintegrate under a few smaller explosions. Naruto cursed, turning to look at the unconscious man on the floor.

"We should take him with us," he said, motioning the man. Sasuke sent him an annoyed look, and Naruto frowned. "We can use him for information you prick! Now come on! You can walk without a limp, you carry the douche!" he snapped, shoving Sasuke towards the man.

The raven cursed, but reached down to fling the unconscious man over his shoulder. Together, they two men ran back down the stairs with Naruto trailing behind slightly due to his slower movement.

Sasuke led the way out the main office and back towards the way they'd come from. The lasers in the first room had, thankfully, been deactivated by fleeing employees and so they could easily run straight through. As they ran down the hallway, they could hear some explosions going off in different areas of the building, and cursing, they ran faster.

Sasuke's anger levels were reaching the same height as the heat of the building as it slowly began to deteriorate under the ever growing explosions. Never before had a mission gone so out of control in his entire career. It was as though all the skills he'd been brutally trained in were suddenly thrown into a tumble dryer and spun around, making it hard for him to really distinguish which ones he had to use. And it was all because of Uzumaki!

"This is your entire fault, you imbecile!" he snapped over his shoulder as they started to run down the stairs. Naruto growled as he followed, pain flaring through his body which he valiantly ignored. The bomber's head kept smacking against passing walls and doorways, Naruto wouldn't be surprised if the man had a second head by the time he woke up.

"How the hell is it my fault?"

"If you'd watched where you were putting your clumsy feet, this place wouldn't be going up in flames!"

"It's not going up in _flames_ you jackass! It's _exploding_!"

Sasuke actually laughed at the idiocy, the sound bordering hysterical. "Do you know what you'd find in the dictionary by looking up the word 'idiot'?" He spat as they reached the final floor in record time. Rubble and litter was everywhere from workers dropping anything they were doing to flee from the building. The ground was shaking from all the explosions going off on the higher floors, and pieces of ceiling continued to fall, starting out small but gradually getting larger.

Naruto scoffed loudly as they tried to locate which way the exit was through the destruction, their steps shaky as the floor vibrated. "I'm betting you were going to say a picture of my face?" he snarled. Sasuke whirled around, eyes wild in his panicked rage even as an incredibly large piece of ceiling landed a few feet away.

"No! You'd find the _definition_ of idiot, which is _WHAT YOU FUCKING ARE_!"

Blue eyes flashed angrily, and despite the fact that the building was literally disintegrating around them, Naruto stomped into Sasuke's personal space and glared, fisting a hand into his collar.

"Listen here you whiny-assed princess, I don't know what skirt you didn't manage to fit your fat ass into this morning, but stop throwing a bitch fit over me because of it!"

Sasuke bristled like a hedgehog stuck in an electric fence and angrily slapped Naruto's hand away, sneering. "What the hell did you say, you moronic eyesore, waste of woman's underwear?"

It was Naruto's turn to become an interesting shade of red.

"You heard me, you ass-licking fairy!"

"Useless monkey kisser!"

"Fat-headed fruitcake!"

"Dumbass!"

"Dickhead!"

"Fuck you!"

"No, fuck you!"

"No, fuck you _first_!"

"No way, asshole, fuck _you_ first!"

Sasuke was more than ready to shoot the man, but the chance was lost when the area right behind them exploded, sending both of them flying through the air with loud yells of surprise.

Regaining his temper, his body movement, and losing all sanity and sense, Sasuke flung out an arm and took hold of Naruto's, yanking the other man towards him. As they crashed through a window, glass flying around them, he hunched his body around the blonds', shielding him as much as he could as they finally hit the ground and skidded to a stop several feet from the building. The blond bomber had landed even further away, still out cold, not that Sasuke could blame him. He hadn't exactly been gentle on the way out.

The air was fiery hot as the building really did crumble under the intense flames and explosions that were engulfing it and Sasuke struggled to his knees. Naruto coughed violently as smoke billowed all around them, and painfully, the two began to crawl away from the disaster. They made sure to grab the unconscious bomber and drag him away too. When they were a safe distance from the now burning building, they stopped and stared back at it, breathing heavily.

Slowly, blue eyes turned to look at black, their chests still heaving as they drew clear air into their burning lungs. Then, Naruto's lips turned up into a smile.

"'_Useless monkey-kisser'_?" he quoted, grinning. "Are you serious?"

Sasuke let out a short bark of laughter. "You called me a fat-headed fruitcake. Are _you_ serious?"

Naruto began to laugh, and Sasuke found his own shoulders shaking with silent snickers as he truly recalled their little spat. And to think it had gone on when everything was collapsing around them.

"You're a danger to my health, Uzumaki," Sasuke breathed, leaning back. Naruto grinned sheepishly, rubbing his head.

"Yeah well, likewise, Uchiha. It seems we both find it hard to focus on the mission sometimes."

Sasuke nodded in agreement, and his eyes flickered with concern when Naruto hissed as he sat down. Of course, the concern was quickly hidden.

"Hn. Are you alright?"

Okay, maybe not completely hidden...

Naruto bit his lip, trying to ease into a sitting position that wouldn't feel like he was sitting on thousands of spears. He noticed the look on Sasuke's face and forced a smile.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Right after I lie on my stomach, and have a hot nurse place several bags of frozen peas on my ass, that is..." he joked, and Sasuke snorted, shaking his head.

"We should call it in," he said, pulling out his communicator. Naruto nodded, still trying to find a suitable position.

"Yeah, good idea," he sighed, looking up to watch the remains of the building collapse. "Wow...Do you think we overdid it?" he asked thoughtfully.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>"YES YOU BLOODY WELL <em>OVERDID<em> _IT_!" The red head roared, panting heavily as he ripped the headset from the listening devices from his ears only for his eyes to widen in pain. "OW, MY FUCKING EAR!"

Beside him, his look-a-like sighed heavily, calmly removing his own headset and wiping some soot off his face. "Calm down bro," he said soothingly, "We're all okay. The explosion didn't do more than singe us a bit."

A cough beside him made the two red heads turn to see the third member of their little group, his face blackened considerably from smoke. He reached up and removed his glasses, blinking slightly.

There was silence for a moment before the two red heads burst out laughing. The third now had a pair of white squares around his eyes from where his glasses had shielded him from the dark dust.

"What the hell!" he roared, stomping his foot and sending more dust to poof around them.

"Ahahaha! You look like an inverted racoon!" the first red head wheezed, clutching his stomach. The second quickly regained composure and turned his eyes to the video screen. His eyes widened.

"They've got Deidara!"

Silence fell as three faces crowded around the monitor, and the first hissed.

"Shit, that's bad."

"What'll we do bro?"

"...Nothing. We can't do anything without orders...We'll have to wait and see."

He leant back in his seat with a contemplative look on his face before a loud creak sounded and the entire thing crumbled; the bass having been burned by the heat waves of the explosion. He toppled with a yell, hair flipping around his face as he landed in a tangle of limbs and a cloud of black soot.

"GODDAMMIT! I _HATE_ THOSE AGENTS!"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>Heheh, well how was it? I hope you all enjoyed it! ^_^ Remember, please leave a review to share your thoughts! The next update should come out at latest next week Wednesday!<strong>

**There was something I wanted to ask...uhhm...what was it...**

**Kaoru: About the game?  
><strong>

**Me: AH! Yes, I recently got hold of L4D2 on Pc, and I was wondering if anyone who reads my stories plays it online too? It's a pity I can't play with people on xbox live, but oh well...Just wondering if anyone plays L4D2 on PC. Let me know if you wanna game together or something! (That is if anyone has it)**

**Kaoru: Ah...slaughtering zombies with various weapons together...now THAT is BONDING! :D**


	6. Helloooo Nurse!

**Helloo! Okay, so I kind of lost track of the days, so yeah I only realized it was Wednesday an hour ago and I was busy with other stuff so I only got the chance to upload now! Sorry! Also, this chapter is a bit shorter than average, but to make up for it the next one will probably come out earlier. (possibly, maybe not though depending on how things are going)**

**Oh, just a note: Quite a few people have asked about the roles of the three 'mystery people' (most of you have already guessed who they are and duh, you're right of course) so I'll just say this now: Their roles in the story will be revealed soon enough. Please be patient and just read on to find out more!  
><strong>

**Well I won't delay you all anymore! ^_^**

**Warnings: the usual, you know.**

* * *

><p>Sakura Haruno sat back in her chair, sighing and closing her eyes while her fingers tapped against the medical charts in front of her. Her head lolled to the side and her eyes peeked open slightly, lashes obscuring the sea-foam green irises gazing sleepily outward. Her bubblegum pink hair was tied back in a short bun with a few strands hanging loose around her face. She let out another soft hum before groaning and leaning further back.<p>

She was bored.

It was only her second month working in the Agency, and yet nothing more exciting than a few broken fingers or the occasional hangnail had occurred in the medical side of things. Although she knew she should be grateful that all the agents weren't getting seriously injured while out on dangerous missions, she couldn't help but wish that something new and exciting would happen.

Almost as if in answer to her prayers, the doors opened up and a stretcher was rolled in by one of the nurses, an agent lying down on his stomach on the stretcher. Two other agents were walking alongside them, and she immediately recognized them both.

First was the legendary Agent Scarecrow; Kakashi Hatake. Walking between him and the stretcher was the man who Sakura had secretly joined the Agency just so she could be close to him.

Agent Sharingan, Sasuke Uchiha. She had known the man since her childhood, and had fallen in love with him at a ridiculously young age. That love had stayed all through the years, despite the fact that Sasuke seemed to see her as little more than an annoyance...if he remembered her at all, that is.

However, this time Sakura's attention was drawn to the man lying on the stretcher. She stood up; walking to meet them and he caught her gaze immediately. When the stretcher came to a stop, the man lying atop it looked up and Sakura was briefly stunned at the piercing blue eyes shadowed by honey golden hair. She'd never seen this man before, but he was stunning!

Suddenly, a grin curved said man's tanned face, and he lifted his upper half up slightly, resting his chin on his hand as he gave Sakura an appreciative once over.

"Well, _helloooooo_ _Nurse_," he greeted flirtatiously, lips curving into a sexy smirk. Sakura gave a weak smile, waving slightly.

"H-Hi there. You must be a n-new agent?" she questioned, more than a little thrown off by the man. He grinned, shifting slightly to get more comfortable as he wagged his eyebrows.

"Oh no, I assure you I'm _very_ experienced!" he winked.

Sakura gaped, but before anymore could be said, two hands were colliding with the back of the blond man's head, making his slam his face into his own arm.

"Ouch!"

"Stop flirting like a fool and get fixed," Kakashi ordered, smirking at the way Naruto paled at the words. "I expect you to be ready for your next mission by tomorrow. Sasuke, the same goes for you. Rest up here tonight."

Sasuke nodded, his hand now pressing down on Naruto's head and stopping him from looking up.

"Bastard! Let go!"

"Hn. Only if you agree to stop acting like a man-whore, idiot."

"Wha-! I was not acting like a man-whore you ass!"

"'I'm very experienced'?" Sasuke quoted with a sneer on his face. "Oh _please_."

Naruto chuckled. "Ah, what's wrong with a bit of flirting with a pretty lady?" he said, sending a sincere smile towards Sakura who blushed at the compliment and returned his smile.

Sasuke's grip tightened in the blond hair before he forced himself to relax. He had no idea why he was getting annoyed. After all, he didn't even like Sakura. She was a good doctor, yes, but he saw her as nothing more than that, and if she was something more, it was an annoyance he could personally do without.

'_Maybe you're annoyed because Naruto's flirting with her and not you!_' a small voice spoke in his mind, and he twitched.

'_What the hell?_' he thought, frantically-on the inside- batting away any more strange thoughts before he did something weird. Regaining his inner composure, he looked directly at Sakura.

"My...partner..." the word was dragged from his throat like a heavy rock, "here was shot. The bullet only grazed him, but it's still deep enough to hinder his movement. Can you fix it?" he asked bluntly.

Sakura turned her gaze to Naruto. "Exactly where were you shot, agent...uhm...?"

"Call me Naruto! And I, uh, was shot...in the ass," Naruto finished sheepishly, managing to look both mortified and amused at once.

Sakura blinked, her cheeks tinting red again before she steeled herself and nodded, looking towards Sasuke.

"Please follow me," she instructed, beginning to pull the stretcher away. Naruto was surprised she could pull it with one arm. After all, he wasn't exactly the lightest person on the planet. Lazily, he watched the walls passing by, occasionally glancing at his partner from the corner of his eyes.

The moment the pick-up had arrived, Sasuke had hovered over him, telling the medical team to sort out his injury. He guessed that perhaps Sasuke felt responsible for him getting shot. After all, he had been saving Sasuke when it happened, so he could understand the raven feeling a bit guilty that it had even occurred at all.

If the raven was capable of guilt, that is.

But at the same time Naruto didn't see why. After all, as he recalled, Sasuke had saved his behind a few times too. They were even then, weren't they?

As they pulled up to a room, Sakura turned and lightly pressed her hand against Sasuke's chest, stopping him.

"I'm afraid you're not allowed past this point, agent," she said respectfully, and Sasuke nodded after a moment, stepping back and crossing his arms.

"I'll wait here then," he said, and Sakura sent him a confused look before nodding slowly. She couldn't understand why Sasuke was hovering like this. From the past, she'd heard that he was uncaring towards his mission partners, often resulting in him going solo. He preferred it that way, not that she was surprised. However, he seemed to be anxious over this blond man's injury, and Sakura wondered why this man was different from the countless other mission partners Sasuke had gone through before the Agency agreed to let him be a solo act.

However, she had an injured man to take care of, so there was no time for her to muse over Sasuke's odd behaviour. She turned and wheeled Naruto into the room, the door slamming ominously behind her.

Sasuke stood outside, unmoving until finally he stood back against the wall, crossing his arms and letting his eyes slip shut.

From beyond the door, he could hear some muffled talking. Vaguely, he registered the deeper voice sounded a bit nervous.

The next thing Sasuke knew, there was a loud yell. He didn't move an inch, instead only peeking open one eye as the yelling continued. Then there was a bang, and the yelling stopped short. He felt a bit apprehensive at the following silence, but it didn't last long before there was more muffled talking and then another high pitched yell.

Sasuke felt his fingers clenching tightly around his arms as he waited for the blond to be wheeled out of the room. His mind wandered back to their previous mission, and he couldn't help but reflect on the fact that had Naruto not arrived in the dark room when he did, Sasuke may have been the one in that room instead. Or perhaps he would be lying in a different room; one that held a small gathering of cold and empty vessels waiting to be incinerated.

He shuddered at the image of his corpse being thrown into a large burning oven and his fists clenched tighter.

He owed Naruto his life, possibly. However, in this line of work, there were often cases of one agent saving the life of another. It was almost common place and expected. It was the way their Chief had trained them. He would always tell them that yes, missions were incredibly important, but if one couldn't be trusted with the life of their close comrades, how could they be trusted with the lives of the nation?

It was a very true statement, and it was one of the bases of their entire Agency's foundation of beliefs. Teamwork and companionship was high in this Agency.

Sasuke's memories of training and all the old lessons that he'd learned were snapped to a halt when the doors burst open.

Naruto came limping out, his face a little paler than before but a relieved smile on his face either way. Sakura was walking beside him, pulling off a pair of gloves. Sasuke pushed away from the wall and walked up to greet them, looking over the blond.

"Hn. So how was it?" he asked, smirking at the slight glare Naruto sent him.

"Painful, but better now. At least I don't feel like my ass if about to fall off at any given time," he said grinning and placing a friendly hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Sakura is truly an amazing nurse!"

Sakura smiled, and Sasuke looked away, wondering why it annoyed him so much. However, he shook it off.

"Hn. Well we have a couple of hours to rest. We'll do so in the lounge. This way," he said, turning and motioning for Naruto to follow. As they walked away, Sakura clenched her hands together.

"U-uhm...Agent U-Uchiha?" she called, stepping forward. Sasuke paused, turning to give her a raised eyebrow in question while Naruto linked his hands behind his head and waited patiently.

"Hn?"

Sakura bit her lip for a moment, fumbling before she forced her question out. "Would you like to, maybe, go out to dinner with me someti-"

"Not interested."

Naruto stood stock still as Sasuke continued walking without a single glance back. His jaw was drooping slightly in his surprise and he glanced over at Sakura, noting the way she was hunching her shoulders as if to protect herself from a physical blow. Then, she let out a shaky sigh and turned away, going back to her desk and slumping down.

Naruto let his arms fall and looked in the direction Sasuke was nonchalantly walking away. He narrowed his eyes and began to hobble as fast as his current limp would allow him to.

"Hey, bastard!" he growled, catching up to the retreating raven and grabbing his shoulder. "Why'd you have to be so cold to her, huh? She's a nice girl, you should give her a chance!" he insisted, frowning when Sasuke just rolled his eyes.

"Sakura Haruno has followed me around since we were children. I've never been interested, and every time she ever asked me out, I rejected her. It's her own fault for not getting the message and just giving up. I'm truly not interested, and I never will be. Why give her false hope? I think that would be much meaner than flat out rejection." Sasuke's voice was nonchalant and uncaring, and despite the logic behind his reasoning, Naruto couldn't help but get annoyed.

"Still! You could try letting her down gently instead of just," he straightened his back and put on an impression of Sasuke's grumpy face. "'Not interested!'" he mimicked in a forcibly deepened voice. Sasuke's own face curved into a matching look of anger, proving Naruto's impression scarily accurate.

"You idiot. I don't have time to 'gently' let down some obsessed female. I have work to do and so do you," Sasuke snipped, pushing through the doors to the lounge. Naruto's nose scrunched slightly in his obvious aggravation, but he let out a loud sigh instead of arguing.

"Fine, whatever you sickle-sucking bastard."

"What did you call me?"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The Lounge located in the Agency was a very lavish place, with carefully arranged, comfortable furniture decorated in elegant throes and coverings. The entire right wall was just a set of huge, reinforced glass windows that gave a magnificent view of the city below, the sky show-cased clear as crystal for all who wished to feel on top of the world. The flooring was dark red wood with several Persian rugs arranged to suit the surroundings and large curtains decorated the windows, sweeping down to the floor like velvet waterfalls woven by the hands of skilled Gods.<p>

Naruto was very impressed with the lounge of this Agency, and voiced his thoughts to Sasuke, who raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't your Agency have something similar?" he asked, motioning the room with a sweep of his hand. Naruto laughed, making his way over to one of the couches and relaxing into the cushy fabric with a pleased sigh.

"Nah, we don't get quite as much government funding as you do. We've got a nice rest area and a bunk room, and then a gym but none of them are as lush as this place," he said, closing his eyes as his muscles completely relaxed against the cushions. Sasuke hummed, moving to sit opposite the blond. He crossed his legs, lacing his fingers and resting them on his knees.

"What's your Agency like?" he asked, internally wondering why he was even initiating a conversation in the first place. Usually he would just stay quiet and give non-committal grunts. He guessed that since Uzumaki was going to be his partner until the end of this mission, he was just trying to learn something about the blond.

'_Sure, just keep telling yourself that,_' the sly voice in the back of his head whispered, and as before he forced it away and ignored it.

"Our Agency is cool; a lot more laidback than yours, and has way less agents." Naruto shrugged lightly, a smile threatening his lips. "But we're still reliable, professional and," he peeked open an eye and grinned at Sasuke, "We're awesome!"

Sasuke scoffed, shaking his head. "Of course you are," he drawled, smirking when Naruto just flipped him off and sank deeper into the couch. Silence filled the air for a long time, and Sasuke noticed the way Naruto seemed to drift off rather quickly. Eventually, the blonds' head was tilting to the side, his lips slightly parted as short, soft whistles of snores escaped. Sasuke pursed his lips for a moment before he sighed and stood up. Quietly, he made his way over to the other man and carefully started to move him until he was lying on his side, his head resting on the comfy arm of the couch.

Once Naruto was situated comfortably, he retreated. Just as he was about to sit down, there was a soft snort.

"What do you know, you actually _have_ a heart." Naruto's eyes slid open to half mast as he graced the now frozen raven with a sleepy smirk. "I never would have guessed."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, more than a little mortified at being caught in his act of kindness. However, Naruto's smirk soon slipped into a sincere smile as he closed his eyes and let out a relaxed sigh.

"Thanks Sasuke."

Sasuke sat down, leaning his elbow on the armrest and resting his chin in his hand, eyes trained out the window.

"Hn. Whatever."

A sleepy chuckle was his answer.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sakura's shoes clicked against the hallway floor as she walked, brushing a stand of her pink hair behind her ear. A sad sigh escaped her lips as she thought back to the harsh rejection from Sasuke. It had always been like that, even when they were younger. It seems nothing had changed.<p>

"Dammit," she groaned softly to herself, shifting her jacket. She was passing by the large doors leading to the Lounge when she remembered that both Sasuke and his new mission partner were supposedly resting there until they could be debriefed on the next part of their mission.

She lingered for a moment, struggling with her curiosity before finally running a hand through her hair and creeping towards the door. Carefully, she eased it open a crack and peeked through.

Immediately her eyes sought out Sasuke, who was sitting reading a book in one of the cushy chairs. Across from him, the blond man was sleeping peacefully, arm thrown over the edge of the couch in a lazy fashion. Sakura giggled softly at seeing the way his tan face scrunched when an unpleasant dream flitted through his mind.

'_Naruto was his name wasn't it?_' she recalled, and then placed a hand over her mouth when Naruto kicked his leg out at something in the dream, almost falling from the couch.

Sasuke made an annoyed sound, undoubtedly aware that his partner was obviously an active dreamer. Sakura blinked when Naruto kicked out again, this time hard enough to dislodge him from the large couch. Her eyes widened when she saw him teeter on the edge, and she waited for the loud thud of his body hitting the floor to echo in the room.

...

It never came.

Refocusing her eyes, she gasped when she saw Sasuke standing over the blond, heaving his body back to safety. She expected the raven to go back to his seat after that, but instead Sasuke crossed his arms and looked down at the blond in thought. With baited breath, she clenched her nails around the door tightly as Sasuke seemed to come to a decision. Grabbing his book, the Uchiha moved over to the couch where Naruto slept, easing the blond over and sitting down. Almost on cue, Naruto tried to roll over in his sleep, but Sasuke simply held out his arm and pushed him back, his eyes still on the newly opened page of his book.

Sakura backed away from the door slowly, her mind zooming with thoughts. She'd never seen Sasuke act so...compassionate...to anything before. He'd always seemed cold, uncaring and distant, yet here he was practically babysitting this new blond partner. It both confused her and excited her. Could Sasuke be opening up just a little bit? Perhaps now...now she might have a chance?

An eager smile curved her lips and she snuck away from the door, jogging down the hall and laughing as she made her way out the door.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow...that was really short compared to some of the other chapters. Well, if it's any consolation...the next chapter is long. O_O<strong>

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter nonetheless, and also please remember to leave a review with your thoughts!  
><strong>


	7. Pulling the Strings For Plot

**Beholdeth my pretties, I bring you the next chapter two days early and on top of that...it's massive long! SO REJOICE! MUAHAHAHA! *starts dancing crazily*  
><strong>

**Kamari: Oh God, someone gave her too much sugar.**

**Kaoru: *innocent face* I have nooo idea what you're talking about... *hides cookie box behind back***

**Kamari: =_= you moron.**

**Kaoru: She gave me 'The Look'! D: I can't say no to 'The Look'!**

**Kamari: All she does is stare at you blankly and then she starts to smile!**

**Kaoru: EXACTLY! Haven't you ever seen it? It's creepy!**

**Kamari: You wuss. I can't believe you're supposed to be the bada-**

**Me: ON WITH THE STORY! AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Sasuke woke up the moment he felt a shift in the air, but instead of moving he stayed still, his eyes closed as he waited for his supposed attacker to get close enough.<p>

Tensing his muscles, he listened as whoever it was stepped closer. Counting down until it would be advantageous for him to strike; he waited until he heard the huff of breath and sprung into action, snapping his arms out in a Judo move. His eyes snapped open in surprise when he felt his attacker counter the move with a swift jab of their own, and his head snapped around to see none other than his mission partner standing there, arms wound around his defensively even as blue eyes blinked the sleep out of them and tan cheeks stretched in a yawn.

"Sorry Uchiha, natural reflexes kicked in..." Naruto said through his yawn, unfolding his arms from around Sasuke's own. Sasuke nodded, withdrawing his own arms and discreetly blinking some sleep residue from his own eyes.

They looked around, noting they were still in the lounge. It must have been around evening, the sun already vanished but for the faintest trail of gold lining the horizon beyond the large glass windows. The city below was alight with activity, from speeding cars on highways to glittering buildings and nightclubs pulsing with life. Naruto stepped close to the window, pressing his hand to the glass as he stared out in awe. His own agency didn't have a view quite like this, and he found it incredible. Sasuke noticed the blonds' awed expression and felt a small swell of pride at his agency for being so luxurious and impressive. It made him a proud member of the Agency to be able to gloat over this view.

"Hey, look at that!" Naruto suddenly called out, pointing towards a distant building. Sasuke stepped up to the window, hands folded behind his back as he gazed out in the direction Naruto had indicated. Very far off was a humongous building, and the top of the building seemed to hold a large, lighted beacon of sorts.

Naruto let out an awed sigh as the light continued to swing around, and Sasuke stepped up beside him. His eyes were drawn to the way the blonds' skin seemed to turn gold in the light-

Quickly, he internally slapped himself for even thinking something so strange, and instead crossed his arms, smirking.

"I can't believe your attention is held so much by something shiny. I'd best hope no one drops a _coin_ when you're fighting," he taunted, and his smirk grew when Naruto sent him a withering glare.

"Hmph, whatever Uchiha," Naruto grunted, turning his attention back out the window and gazing at the light. It passed over him again, and he closed his eyes slightly, breathing out slightly.

Sasuke observed him from the corner of his eyes, once more finding himself thinking about the man's skin and hair. His inner-Uchiha was throwing an absolute cadenza over the fact he was actually looking-as in _looking_- at this guy. And there was a big emphasis on the _guy_ part; with big banners and trumpets and red alert lights and everything.

The doors to the lounge opened, and both men straightened up, expecting to see Kakashi.

Instead, however, Sasuke slapped a hand over his eyes with a soft groan while Naruto tilted his head.

"Uh," he started, blue eyes shining with confusion, "I...may not be an agent here, but...I'm certain this isn't the usual attire, right?" he asked, lips beginning to twitch. Sasuke barely suppressed a snort, peeking through his fingers.

"S-shut up!" a gruff voice stammered, and Naruto held his hands up peaceably, even as his shoulders began to shake with silent laughter. Sasuke pulled his hand away from his face, licking his dry lips before staring coolly at the person standing at the door.

"Why are you wearing a maid's outfit, Inuzuka?" he drawled slowly, a mocking smirk on his face as he finished.

The brunet before him growled, cheeks flaming an interesting shade of red as he crossed his burly arms over the frilly vest of his attire. Shaggy hair was tucked under a lacy headband, and the ruffled black skirt shifted around thick legs.

"Believe me, Uchiha, I didn't want to wear this shit. But," here narrow eyes squeezed until they were almost completely shut, and a set of white teeth with sharpened canines were revealed, "I...lost a bet...and this was the price."

Naruto placed a hand over his mouth, his muffled laugh thankfully only heard by Sasuke. "And uh...w-who is the genius behind this bit of devilry?" he strained out, face reddening with the effort to stifle his amusement.

The man looked ready to explode. "...Agent Hatake," he mumbled, "he sent me here to fetch you two."

Naruto and Sasuke shared a look, silently communicating their amusement.

And then Naruto snorted and Sasuke made an odd groaning laugh.

After that, the man dressed in a maid's outfit was left to curse loudly as the two 'professionals' before him broke out into simultaneous fits of unchained laughter.

When they had finally calmed down-Sasuke doing so before Naruto- they followed the brunet down the halls, still snorting, grunting, or smirking at the swishing dress he wore.

"So, who are you anyway?" Naruto asked, and then bit his lip to stop any laughter when the man stumbled slightly in the black heels he was wearing.

"Shit, how do women walk in these things!.?" The man growled as he regained his balance. "I'm Kiba Inuzuka, and I'm the lead animal trainer in this Agency. Any animal that is used during missions; be it messengers, scouts, guards or even decoys, I was the one who gave them the right training and made sure the other trainers did the same."

Naruto nodded, impressed. "That's very interesting. Do you enjoy your job?" he asked curiously, walking slightly faster so as to be on level with the man. Kiba grinned widely.

"Best damn job in the world!" he said honestly and Naruto laughed, tucking his hands into his pockets.

Sasuke continued to trail behind them even as the two men talked ahead. He kept his eyes trained forward, his lips a thin line. He was starting to think that perhaps...perhaps he should ask to be removed from this mission.

Being around Naruto was starting to make him think and feel things he'd long ago thought were impossible for him, and he didn't like it. He'd never laughed like he had in the other room before, and it was only because he found Naruto's amusement to be hilarious that he had joined in. He was starting to show too much emotion, something he'd taught himself not to do from a young age after...Well, there was no point in revisiting _those_ memories at the moment.

Then there was the fact that he still felt unbelievably indebted to Naruto over the blond getting shot while saving him. Somehow, he couldn't get over it. The thought of Naruto jumping in like that, taking a bullet for him...it made him feel both warm and icy cold. He felt touched that Naruto would do that, but he had to keep reminding himself that that was what agents did. So why couldn't he just accept that? To make matters even worse, he always caught himself sneaking glances at Naruto too. His eyes would search out the blond much too often for his liking, and whenever he realized what he was doing he would look away; only to find himself doing it again. Whatever was happening to him, it was the blond's entire fault and if he wanted to save his own ass and his sanity he figured he may have to give up this mission.

"Ladies, my great aunt Frank can walk faster than you! Hurry it up!" Kakashi's voice said harshly, cutting through Sasuke's morbid thoughts of lost glory and excitement. He quickly hurried forwards along with Naruto while Kiba took his leave, heels clacking loudly. Kakashi smirked after him.

"You're looking lovely Kiba-darling," he called.

"Bite me, Hatake!" Kiba threw over his shoulder, accompanying it with a middle finger wave. Kakashi chuckled before turning to his two agents, raising an eyebrow at the gloomy looking raven.

"Sasuke, is something bothering you?" Kakashi asked in concern. He'd always taken a bit of a fatherly-affection over the young Uchiha.

Sasuke sighed minutely, preparing himself for the big request to be taken off the mission. He wondered who would replace him. Maybe that ass, Neji Hyuuga, or even Kakashi himself?

"I-"

"He's just upset because I _totally_ caught him being a big softie earlier!" Naruto cut in with a strange smile on his face. Kakashi laughed again while Sasuke sent a withering look to the blond.

'_What the hell? Stupid idiot, cutting me off. This isn't easy!_'

"Actually, Kakashi, what I really wa-"

"Yeah, he's totally pissed about me catching him showing some heart! Look at him!" Naruto cut in again, that strange smile on his face stretching.

Sasuke growled and snapped. "Kakashi! I want off this mission!" he spat out. To his shock, Kakashi just laughed again and patted his shoulder.

"Now Sasuke, calm down. It's fine if someone other than me knows you've actually got a big pink blob that beats in that rocky chest of yours. Stop being dramatic, and let's get back to work shall we?" Kakashi said with a masked smile before he turned and began to lead the way down the hall.

Sasuke gaped after him, unbelieving. He bristled and prepared to tell Kakashi exactly what he wanted when a firm hand landed on his shoulder and a hot puff of air ghosted over his ear.

"You're not getting off the mission that easy, Uchiha."

Sasuke stiffened and jerked his head to glare at Naruto, who met the look with one of his own.

"Hn. What would you know, you incompetent oaf?" Sasuke hissed, his anger burning higher when Naruto didn't react to his insult like he'd hoped. Instead the man remained calm and unfazed.

"You can insult me all you want, you twit; but no matter what you're not getting off this mission. It was assigned to you, and you will bloody well be the one to carry it out. Don't be a coward!" Naruto returned before striding ahead without even sparing a glance at Sasuke. "Move it, Uchiha!"

Sasuke stared at the blond's back, fury bubbling inside him like lava in a newly woken volcano. Somehow, the fact that Naruto wasn't even gracing him with a glance now was infuriating. He felt as if the moron was treating him like a spoiled child in need of a good smack across the face and it was maddening. How dare he treat Sasuke, one of the greatest agents in the Agency, like some cowardly quitter?

'_A coward? That's what the dumbass thinks I am? Oh, I'll show him! We'll see who the withering coward is, Uzumaki!_'

With those thoughts, Sasuke quickly strode forward, making sure to roughly elbow Naruto out the way. In his angry haste, he missed the relieved smile gracing Naruto's face as he fell into step behind Sasuke.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The loud roar of a jet engine drowned out Sasuke's thoughts as the floor continued to rock and sway underneath him. He slid his fingers across his chest, feeling the tight fitting black material clinging to his skin. On his wrist was the small watch, which quadrupled as a GPS, a communication device, a code scanner and, as a bonus, it told the time.<p>

Not many spy watches actually _did_ that.

"So let me go through the plan again," sounded a loud shout from beside him and Sasuke turned to Naruto, who was dressed in the same type of gear as he was.

"Hn."

Naruto glared at him for the reply and he smirked, but the blond let it go in favour of running through their newest mission plan.

"So, we're currently flying towards a corporate building which we have information is the housing of one of this secretive organization's co-leaders. _How_ we found all this out about a _secret_ organization is still beyond me, but whatever. And our mission tonight is to jump out this plane, land on the building, scale down to the thirty-fifth floor, cut through the glass windows, head up to the main area and find the computer stick that _apparently_ holds this organizations big plans and then get the hell out of there?" Naruto quoted, staring intently at Sasuke. The raven frowned, thinking about it.

"...Yes, that's about right," he said after a moment. Naruto nodded slowly even as an alert went off above to let them know it was time to go.

"Right...So nothing too hard then?" he grinned and Sasuke smirked as they both stood and grabbed their parachutes.

"Hn."

Naruto rolled his eyes, walking backwards towards the large opening that had appeared in the plane's floor. He strapped on his parachute and stood at the edge, looking down at the city passing by below.

"Fuck that's a long way down," he whistled and Sasuke also glanced down.

"Hn."

"You know, I think I'm finally starting to translate all those grunts of yours," Naruto said, fiddling with the strap around his waist. "In fact I know exactly what that one meant!" he added.

Sasuke clipped his own strap into place and looked over with a raised eyebrow. "Oh really? What was it?" he asked mockingly. Naruto took another step towards the edge, looking down until the building they were aiming for came into view. He grinned widely, looking at Sasuke.

"You said: I'm in serious man-love with Justin Bieber!" he said and laughed as he stepped back, neatly falling out of the plane as Sasuke took a swipe at him. "PSYCHE!" the blond called as he sailed through the air.

Naruto always loved sky-diving. The free-fall feeling was exhilarating and he relished in it. The wind whipping through his hair and roaring past his ears made his heart beat wildly and his blood start pumping like crazy. The adrenaline rush buzzed through his body and he let out a pleased wolf-howl as he tumbled through the dark night air. There was a whistle from above him and he twisted his head to see that Sasuke had taken his jump. He marvelled at the way the Uchiha looked like some kind of vampire, gliding through the air with his body strategically angled to fall even faster.

Grinning to himself at the thought of Sasuke sprouting bat wings and sucking the blood of innocent people-the idea didn't seem too farfetched, actually- Naruto twisted his body around and reached back to pull the strap on his parachute.

He felt the jerking sensation of the large material flying out behind him, opening up and making him jolt in midair as he began to glide towards the building. Judging by the loud 'whoosh' he heard, he guessed Sasuke had pulled his strap too.

As he approached the building, he frowned; it seemed he was moving a little too fast. It was then that he realized that a strong wind had picked up, pushing him towards the building a lot faster than needed.

"Oh shit!" he cried as the window zoomed up to meet him and he couldn't help but let his limbs splay out like a spider's when he crashed into the wall with a dull thud.

There was a laugh, and Naruto growled as he scrambled to attach the small, robotic hook that Shikamaru had given him. As soon as he pressed it to the wall, the little thing whirred and hooked itself onto the concrete, safely imbedding it into the wall. He attached his hooked cable to it, and finally pressed the release on his parachute, letting the large piece of material fly away and no longer hold him up.

Naruto took a moment to lean away from the wall, rubbing at his nose and cheek where he had hit the concrete. There was the sound of cable moving before Sasuke slid down next to him. The smirk on his face looked painfully huge and Naruto glared at him.

"Shut up, Uchiha!" he snapped and Sasuke just snorted in response.

"Try not to fatally injure yourself on the way down, Uzumaki," Sasuke teased as he turned his body and placed his feet against the concrete, standing horizontally on the wall. With a smug smirk towards Naruto, he let his cable run loose and began to sprint down the side of the building, counting the floors as he went. His hair flew back with the wind as he barrelled towards the earth, and his smirk morphed into an excited grin that no one would see.

'_How could I have even considered giving this shit up?_' he thought, the thrill of being on a mission buzzing through his very veins like a drug. His legs moved in powerful steps, muscles flexing, and his arms swung by his sides to keep his balance. He counted fifteen floors and reached down, pressing the halt on his cable. He grabbed the rope as it snapped to a stop, and in doing so halted his run. His heart was beating a mile a minute in excitement and his breathing was a tad heavier than normal. God he _loved_ his job.

Hearing oncoming thuds he looked up to see Naruto running down the building too, the grin on his face visible for Sasuke's viewing and the raven couldn't help but return it with a smirk. He knew Uzumaki was feeling the same way he did.

Sasuke crouched closer to the window before him, reaching back into his little satchel to retrieve the laser-glass cutter that Chouji had provided to him. With cool efficiency, he attached the little device. He counted to eight in his mind, as he always did, and turned the little laser on. Slowly, precisely, he began to cut a large circle in the glass that would allow the two of them passage into the building.

Naruto came skidding to a stop beside him, panting heavily and brushing some of his hair out of his shining eyes.

"I love wall-running!" the blond breathed happily and Sasuke nodded.

"Hn."

Naruto rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Hey Uchiha."

"Hn?"

"When's your birthday?"

"Why?"

"I want to buy you a dictionary so you can learn to speak normal English."

The glass was finally cut and Sasuke carefully suctioned out the piece. "Go fuck yourself," he grunted as he moved the heavy glass to the side and gently eased it to the floor inside the building. He wiped his hands and prepared to slide his entire body through the hole, sending a glance to Naruto. "How's that for normal English?"

Naruto chuckled while the raven gracefully slid through the opening before following him in once Sasuke had released his cable.

Inside, the two of them started to creep down the hallways of the building, feeling a lot warmer inside now that they were out of the wind.

"The computer stick was reported to be kept in the co-founders' personal study in the main area. So it should be towards the centre of this floor," Naruto reported softly, checking his watch.

Sasuke nodded, edging towards the corner and peering around. He took in the seemingly empty hallway, his eyes catching the cameras hidden in the corners near a few potted plants adorning the walls. He held out his hand, wiggling his fingers. Naruto reached into his own satchel and brought out yet another little robotic creature. For a moment he marvelled at it, wondering how Shikamaru had made it. However his staring was cut off when he heard Sasuke make an impatient hissing noise and with a soft sigh the blond handed the device over. Sasuke easily activated it and set it on the floor, watching as it scuttled across the carpet until it reached the wall. It began to climb up like a spider and once it reached the camera, tiny tendrils extended and latched onto the screen.

Sasuke checked his watch, counting down the seconds until the device would have done its job. When a minute had passed, he nodded the 'All-Clear' and the two agents darted down the hall.

Door after door, hallway after hallway they went and yet still they couldn't locate the right room. Finally, after turning down yet another dead end, Naruto had had enough.

"Sweet creaming pillow-munchers! Where the hell is this room?" he bit out in frustration. Sasuke lifted an eyebrow at the blond's wording but decided against saying anything.

Suddenly, as they turned another corner, an alarm sounded throughout the building. The lights went off only to be replaced by red-alert lights. The drumming of footsteps started to echo in the hallways and voices could be heard shouting orders.

The two agents turned to look at each other, faces mirroring each other's look of 'Oh shit'.

A troop of black-clad guards came around the corner, the one in front pointing at them and yelling out.

"INTRUDERS! SHOOT THEM!"

Both agents hissed and cart wheeled in opposite directions as a barrage of bullets sprayed the walls and floor where they had been just moments before. Sasuke took cover in a small alcove in the wall, crouching and pulling out his pistol. He heard a curse and looked over. His eyes widened when he saw that Naruto had nowhere to take cover.

Naruto narrowed his eyes in concentration when he heard more bullets fired. He jumped into a back flip, seeing the bullets whizz under his chest and legs before he landed and rolled forward to avoid another spray. He was losing space to manoeuvre and his stamina was draining at all the complicated dodging moves. Suddenly, several shots rang out behind him and the roof above the shooters collapsed, plaster splintering atop the men. Naruto caught his breath while the men fell to the floor, some unconscious and some, possibly, dead. He stood up and turned to see Sasuke doing the same, a smirk on his face. Naruto grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

"I gotta say Uchiha...nice work," he praised and Sasuke nodded.

"Hn."

Naruto chuckled at his reply before they started to run down the hall, the alarm still blaring loudly around them.

"Since they've caught onto us, we'll need to move faster than planned," Sasuke huffed as they ran.

"Those shooters most likely came from the main area," Naruto said as he pulled to a stop. Sasuke did the same and watched as the blond crouched down, gently caressing the floor with the tips of his fingers. Blue eyes scanned the carpeted hall carefully, before he leant down and sniffed at the ground. Sasuke couldn't help but be reminded of a fox, what with the way Naruto was acting. He crossed his arms, looking around awkwardly while Naruto did his job.

"They came from that direction!" the blond said eventually, pointing to the side hall. Sasuke nodded and the two of them quickly jogged away, keeping their eyes peeled for any signs of both the enemy and the area they needed to reach. Reaching a different hallway that was decorated with lavish paintings and a large door, the two agents shared a look before nodding and running towards the door.

Sasuke crouched, pulling out his lock-picking set and began to work on getting the door open while Naruto kept an eye out. The red alert lights continued to flash, making it difficult for Sasuke to see. He ground his teeth together in frustration when the lock refused to give way. Feeling his anger start to hinder his movements, he paused and closed his eyes. Counting to eight, he calmed himself down enough to refocus on the task.

Naruto waited impatiently beside him, bouncing on the balls of his feet. He brushed some hair out of his eyes, vaguely deciding he needed to get it trimmed soon since it could end up hindering him in a mission if it kept getting in the way. He was about to ask what was taking Sasuke so long when there was a click and Sasuke stood up with a pleased smirk.

"About time, bastard," Naruto teased as he turned. Sasuke shook his head, waving off Naruto's comment and then the two of them stepped through the doors.

"Hello boys!"

They only felt a moment of pain spreading out from the back of their heads before everything went dark, the sound of a cheeky cackle following their descent into blackness.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke groaned softly as he started to come round. His head was throbbing with pain, and his eyelids fluttered unpleasantly at the pulsing sensation. Mustering his strength, he opened his eyes and tried to make sense of the blurs around him.<p>

One good assessment was that he wasn't dead...yet.

As things became clearer, he realized he was tied to a chair tightly. He flexed his wrists, finding that they were bound tight to the arms of the metal chair, and he cursed under his breath. A soft hum of pain made him look up. Another groan and he realized that it was coming from behind him.

"...Agent?" he whispered, trying to look over his shoulder to see if Naruto was close or not. There was a grunt and he heard the creak of ropes being stretched to their limit before he felt the slightest jolt against his back. He summarized that Naruto was tied to a chair that was back to back with his own.

"...Well, this is a bit inconvenient," Naruto said softly, testing the binds. "...Did...did the heads mention anything like this in the mission statement?" he questioned. Sasuke hissed.

"Of course not you imbecile!" he snapped, writhing in his chair. This was bad. If they got captured, there was no telling what would happen. Would there be torture? Or would they just be killed straight off the bat?

An image of Naruto lying dead flitted across his mind, and Sasuke found himself sweating. He resumed his struggles, trying to think of a way out of this mess.

"Hey, Sharingan, look!" Naruto murmured, and Sasuke stopped his struggles to try and crane a look over his shoulder. He couldn't see a thing but for a faint view of Naruto's golden hair.

"I can't see anything, moron. What is it?" he asked softly, tugging at his bonds absently.

"Well, asshole, I can see a giant computer, a giant couch and a giant window. Great view actually, I can see my old house from here," Naruto said thoughtfully and chuckled when Sasuke sighed irritably. "Hey, let a man reminisce. I might not make it through this after all," he mumbled and Sasuke stiffened.

"Shut up, you fool. We'll be fine," Sasuke bit out; the idea of them not making it out alive sent shivers down his spine. Naruto let out a soft laugh behind him.

"Yeah, you're right."

"THEY'RE AWAKE!"

Both agent's jumped at the loud call, and turned their heads to see a door open. Several people walked in, and Naruto's eyes widened at seeing one of them.

"You!" he gasped, and the red head smirked while his green eyes glinted.

"Hello agent. It's good to see you again!" he greeted mockingly.

"Why aren't you dead?" Naruto asked bluntly, tilting his head to the side. The man growled.

"Because I'm awesome. Let's leave it at that," he said dismissively. Naruto snorted loudly, but before the man could say anything more another voice spoke up.

"My my, Kaoru, getting friendly with the agents are we?" a droning voice said as a short man with pale red hair walked into view. His eyes were a dull brown and he looked immensely bored with everything as he stepped closer to the bound men.

The one known as Kaoru scoffed, crossing his arms and stomping away. "Whatever," he grumbled over his shoulder, and the bored-looking man just smirked and shook his head before turning to the two agents.

"Forgive my employee, he's got a bit of a temper," he said smoothly and Naruto nodded in agreement.

"I can vouch for that," he commented and ignored the rude gesture sent his way. "If you don't mind my asking, exactly why are we tied to chairs?"

The bored man laughed but the sound was humourless and empty. "I'm sure such smart men as yourselves can guess that much at least. After all; one cannot break into a high-security building and expect a cup of tea."

"I don't know," Naruto argued thoughtfully, "If two men managed to break into my fifty story building that was riddled with armed guards, traps and other high security features, and reach my private area, I think I'd congratulate their success with a cup of tea at least," he finished with a charming smile.

Sasuke wanted to scream. '_Why the hell is the moron acting so calm? Does he not realize the situation we are in here?_' he thought angrily. He was ready to actually say something to Naruto when he caught sight of a reflection of his face in a nearby glass table. His skin was a tad paler than usual, and his smile was strained. Sasuke felt himself relax at the sight. '_Figures he'd be the type to hide his anxiety behind a stupid grin.'_

"You've got a smart mouth on you," the man said, the faintest hint of amusement colouring his droning voice.

Naruto shrugged as best he could given his current position. However, under his smile he was frantically looking around the room for any way out of their situation. He knew Sasuke was probably doing the same, but so far he couldn't see anything that would help them.

Suddenly a soft beeping sounded, and the bored red-head reached into a pocket and pulled out a phone. He flipped it open, tapping a few buttons and reading whatever was on screen before sighing.

"That new shipment arrived," he informed his lackeys as he tucked his phone away. "Come on, we'd better go deal with the delivery before they start making a ruckus," he continued as he walked off, snapping his fingers for the men to follow.

Kaoru paused in the doorway to sneer at the two agents.

"No funny business!" he warned and Naruto smiled benignly.

"No sir! If my hand was free, I would totally salute you!" he said cheerfully and the man scoffed.

"Moron," he drawled before walking out the room, slamming the door behind him. The moment his footsteps faded, Naruto let out a shaky breath.

"Tell me you've got a plan, Uchiha, because I am drawing the biggest fucking blank ever!" he hissed. Sasuke scoffed softly, once more trying to struggle out of his bonds.

"No shit, idiot, I could tell," he huffed, eyes zooming around the room in an attempt to find something that they could use. He saw a table against the far wall that housed all their equipment. "We need to get over there!" he said, motioning with his head. Naruto twisted around in his seat as much as he could, trying to see what Sasuke was talking about. When he did he laughed mockingly.

"Great! It's only across the whole fucking room. This should be as easy as a hooker!" he said sarcastically and Sasuke growled angrily.

"Well I don't see you making any suggestions!" he snapped.

"Yeah, but I was hoping for a realistic suggestion you retard!" Naruto retorted.

Pissed off, Sasuke let his head fall back, feeling it collide with Naruto's. The blond yelped before wiggling in his seat.

"You asshole!"

There was a loud creak and the men froze when Naruto's chair tilted to the side.

"Ooohh," he breathed, trying to lean to the right and prevent his chair from completely toppling over. After a few unsteady moments, the chair was resting on all four legs again and Naruto breathed a sigh of relief. "Damn that was close. I was worried I'd be kissing the floor!"

"You idiot, that's it!" Sasuke said, his voice brightening with enlightenment.

"Eh? What is? What's going on?" Naruto asked, looking left and right in confusion. "What'd I do?"

"The chairs aren't bolted down. We can move them if we have enough momentum," Sasuke explained in a rush. He pressed his body back into the chair he was tied to before lurching forward as fast as he could. His chair screeched as it slid across the ground a few inches before coming to a stop.

"See?" Sasuke smirked, and started to rapidly lurch and press. His chair made noise every time it moved, but he paid it no mind. He could hear Naruto struggling too, and the dull thuds of the blond's chair moving accompanied his.

They were halfway through the room when the door opened and someone stepped in.

"Shit!" Sasuke hissed, trying to turn his head around to see. Before he could do anything, the light was switched off and they were plunged into darkness.

Sasuke froze, his breathing sounding thunderously loud in his ears. Naruto was panting too, but other than that there was no sound. Sweat rolled down the side of their heads as they waited nervously.

'_What is this? Is this a trap? An alarm? Are we...are we going to die?_' Sasuke thought frantically.

Suddenly there were footsteps and both men drew in sharp breaths. The steady thuds echoed in the room, making their hearts race and their breaths shallow out.

"W-what the hell?" Naruto said suddenly and Sasuke snapped straight up in his seat, trying to see anything.

"What the fuck is going on?" he snapped venomously, and he heard the sounds of rope moving before Naruto gasped. "Kyuubi? What's happening?" Sasuke asked frantically, his voice higher than usual in his internal panic.

"What are...ouch!" Naruto's words were muffled, and Sasuke started to struggle against his bonds even harder.

"Get away from him!" he growled, yanking on his hands. The footsteps sounded again and Sasuke snarled when he felt a presence beside him. "Who the fuck are you?"

There was a puff of breath on his ear as whoever it was leant down.

"Mind your language," they whispered and Sasuke shivered in anger at the condescending tone. But any insults were cut off when he felt something slide against his wrist, between his skin and the rope. Holding his breath, he waited anxiously as the person seemed to think about something.

Then, the object moved up and the rope was snapped. Sasuke blinked in the darkness, clueless as to what was happening. This person was...letting them go? Something didn't seem right.

"...Who are you?" he asked again, his voice softer. All he got in reply was a pat on the top of his head, and he growled. The person moved away, their footsteps echoing before a door opened. The light of the corridor basked them in a silhouette shadow and both men blinked against the bright light. The main light was switched back on again and the door slammed shut.

Sasuke looked down at his wrist, seeing the rope had been cut right through. He pulled his free hand up and looked around. He couldn't see anything strange and so he quickly used his free hand to start untying the rope around his other hand.

"...Kyuubi?" he called as he got the rope free.

"...Yeah," Naruto sounded a bit drowsy and Sasuke hurriedly pulled the ropes away before standing up. He rushed over to where Naruto was, seeing that both the blond's hands were free. Naruto was pale and sweating, and his eyes looked unfocused. There was a tear in his right arm sleeve, and Sasuke saw the tell-tale signs of a needle insertion at the man's elbow.

"Shit...they drugged you or something," he hissed angrily, pressing against the spot.

Naruto took a breath, his head falling to the side. "They...shit, I can barely focus," he mumbled as his eyes tried to find Sasuke. "They said...that the computer stick was...third drawer to the l-left," he strained out before groaning in pain.

Sasuke pulled the ropes around Naruto's ankles away before he stood up and helped the man stand, placing Naruto's arm over his shoulders.

"Okay, we'll grab it and go," he assured, moving towards the large computer system. There were cabinets underneath it and he headed to the left, pulling the third drawer out. Sitting in the middle in a small container was the flash drive they had been sent to fetch.

"You know," Naruto wheezed as Sasuke pulled the little object out of the drawer, "I've never...understood the logic...of bad guys."

"Hn?" Sasuke mumbled, dragging the blond towards the table to grab their gear. Naruto could barely move, his head drooping, so Sasuke was left to quickly strap on his satchel and help the drugged man do the same.

"Yeah...I mean...why do they always...lock us up...in the same room they keep...all their important shit...and then leave us alone for ages?" Naruto asked, eyebrows furrowing in hazy confusion even as Sasuke led him towards the door.

The Uchiha had to agree that it was a bit stupid of the villains to do what they did, especially since it seemed there was someone in the building that was on their side.

"Hn. It's because the good guys always win," he grunted as he pulled the door open and peered out into the hall. He knew that time was now of the essence, and they didn't have much of it to spare. He had to get out of the building and get Naruto to the doctor as quickly as possible.

'_I swear to God, if they poisoned him I'm going to blow this place to pieces!_' he thought viciously before making his way down the hall with Naruto still leaning against him. Their shoes thudded against the carpeted hallway as Sasuke led them down corridor after corridor. His eyes darted around for any sign of the enemies until he caught sight of an elevator.

"Come on, agent," he instructed, tapping at Naruto's cheek. The blond sucked in a breath, trying his best to focus. His vision was blurred and his head felt like it was floating ten feet above his body, attached only by a thin little strand of coherency.

"I dunno...what that drug was...but fuuuuuck, it makes me feel tired," he explained, squeezing his eyes shut and lazily pinching at his arm. "...I can't feel anything."

Sasuke cursed under his breath as he slammed his hand on the elevator summon button. As the small red light indicating the car started to beep towards their floor, Sasuke turned to examine Naruto closely. He pulled down the collar of Naruto's vest and pressed his fingers to his pulse point. The beating was erratic and jumpy, and Naruto's neck was sweaty like his forehead and his face. His eyes were glazed over, the blue turned to a murky grey that struggled to stay focused on Sasuke's face. Naruto's breathing was short and shallow and Sasuke could literally feel the way his muscles were relaxing against his will, making it difficult for him to move properly.

"Shit. We need to hurry," Sasuke murmured. He pressed the call button repeatedly, muttering 'come on' to himself over and over. Naruto gave a sleepy chuckle.

"Careful...you're showing emotion," he teased softly and Sasuke snorted even as he continued to rape the button before him. Finally, the elevator dinged and Sasuke sighed with relief.

The doors slid open, revealing the third red-head for them to see that night. He was standing near the back, a clipboard in his hand and a pen stuck behind his ear. His hair was messed as if he had just stepped out of a windy storm and his eyes were a strange turquoise shade. He looked up from his charts the same moment Sasuke pulled out his pistol and pointed it in his face.

"Huh-OH SHIT!" the man said, jumping a foot in the air and clutching his chart to his chest. "Uh...Uh," he stammered nervously, staring at the gun with wide eyes.

Sasuke glared at him, stepping into the elevator and keeping his gun aimed at the man who was pressing himself against the wall in a futile attempt to get out of range.

"Don't make any sudden moves or I'm going to decorate this wall with your thoughts," Sasuke threatened and the man nodded frantically.

"R-right, no moving. I can do that," he said with a nervous smile.

Naruto was able to push the first floor button before he leant against Sasuke with a pained sigh.

"We gotta hurry man...I'm struggling to stay...awake," Naruto breathed into the raven's ear and Sasuke nodded slightly.

"We're almost out," he assured the blond while his mind had a war with itself over the contact he had. He was forcefully ignoring the warmth spreading from his shoulder when Naruto was holding onto him, and he plain refused to acknowledge that tiny little cheerleader inside his brain that cheered when Naruto was breathing in his ear. He cruelly imagined a giant foot stomping on the little bitch and crushing her into oblivion.

A crackling sound interrupted the tense silence and all three present in the elevator turned to look at the red-head's pocket.

"Ah...i-it's my communicator," he said softly, eyes staring at Sasuke fearfully. Another crackle sounded before a voice spoke up, and Sasuke recognized it as the other red-head, Kaoru.

"Hey, bro! Come in!"

Silence while Sasuke glared at his captive.

"Hey! Kamari! I said come in, you chop!"

"Answer it, but don't try calling for help. Act normal," Sasuke ordered softly and the man, Kamari, swallowed thickly as he pulled out the device and clicked the button.

"..Hey bro, what's up?" he said and Sasuke was impressed at how level he kept his voice.

"The last shipment was just finished a few minutes ago. Sasori's telling everyone to start clearing shit up. Where the hell are you anyway?"

Nervous turquoise eyes glanced at Sasuke before Kamari cleared his throat.

"Just in the elevator, on my way down to you guys...Heh, you wouldn't believe how many times I've dropped my charts today, what with all the excitement," he said, trying to sound cheerful at the end and make it a light conversation. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and mouthed 'no small talk' to which the man nodded. "Yeah, I'll see you in a bit."

"...Right. Well, hurry up. And hold onto your _charts_ tightly, you bloody klutz." The line crackled out and Kamari placed the device back into his pocket.

Sasuke stepped back, eyes briefly glancing at the floor they were on. It looked like they were only passing the twentieth floor now. He sighed at the slow pace but knew there was no way around it. It was the fastest way around.

"Hey, Kyuubi, how do you feel?" he mumbled, turning to look at Naruto. The blond was still and silent, his eyes closed. Sasuke felt his blood turn cold and he quickly spun around.

"Don't try anything!" he ordered hastily and Kamari nodded, holding up his hands.

Sasuke once again checked Naruto's pulse, sighing in relief when he could feel a rhythm. Naruto must have passed out.

Taking in a breath to try and calm himself, Sasuke set the blond down and leant back against the wall, swallowing slightly to clear his throat. His captive was staring at Naruto and Sasuke noticed how he seemed to flinch at the injection mark on Naruto's arm. He was tempted to ask about the drug, but he knew there was no chance of him getting out of there alive with this guy as a hostage; at least not while Naruto was unconscious. And while he could just kill him, there was no telling whether the information he gave would be true if he gave any at all. It would be a wasted effort. Their best bet was to simply use him as a shield until they were out and safe.

Suddenly the elevator jerked and Sasuke hit his head against the wall, letting out a curse. Naruto slumped down while Kamari struggled to stay up.

"The fuck is happening?" Sasuke demanded even as the car was jolted again. While he struggled to stay up, he heard something break and looked towards the car roof. The emergency exit had opened up, and Sasuke saw the Kaoru glaring in, his green eyes zoning onto his brother like they were programmed to do so.

"Kam!" the new arrival yelled, an arm stretching down through the opening even as the other arm aimed a gun at the two agents. Sasuke cursed, moving out the way as a bullet was fired in his direction. He saw Kamari jumped out of the corner of his eye, the man skilfully manoeuvring his body to slip out of the opening. Sasuke fired a random shot, and he heard a yelp in response. He knew he hadn't killed either of them, but he'd definitely hit something.

"You son of a bitch!" he heard Kaoru scream and covered his head when another shot was fired. The bullet ricocheted off the metal frame of the elevator before thudding into the floor. Sasuke glanced up and his eyes widened when he saw Kaoru strapping him and his brother to something. The man looked down with a sneer on his face.

"Bon voyage, asshole," he said and fired another shot while simultaneously disconnecting the cable attached to the elevator car and zooming up and away from view with his brother in tow. Sasuke dived forwards, shielding Naruto's body with his own when the bullet rebounded towards him. He cried out as his shoulder was hit and he felt blood start to soak through his vest. The car was plummeting down, metal screeching in torture as it slid along the rails. Sasuke struggled to stand, pain from his wound making his head spin as he tried to think of something to do.

With a grunt, he reached down and grabbed Naruto. His shoulder protested wildly but he ignored it as much as he could, trying to move the blond towards the opening in the roof. After a brief struggle he managed to get Naruto out and quickly climbed out behind him. Wind roared past his ears as the elevator continued its deadly descent towards the floor. Sasuke gripped his shoulder, eyes zooming around to try and find a solution. He saw an emergency break level near where the cables used to be attached. It was his best shot.

He crawled over to it, sweaty hands sliding along the metal while sparks flared around him. He gripped the lever and tugged, cursing when his shoulder screamed in pain and the lever refused to budge. He didn't give up, however, and continued to pull at the metal with as much strength as he could spare.

Several tries and still it wouldn't move. Sasuke collapsed back, out of breath and vision blurring.

His ears didn't register noise anymore; the roar of the wind and screech of metal had rendered him temporarily deaf. He knew that they only had a few floors left before the car would crash and burn, taking them along with it. Looking over his shoulder, he gazed at Naruto's still form before a weak smirk took over his face.

"Of course...you'd be asleep for the finale. You lucky bastard," he joked softly, the sound lost in the thunderous noise around him. He crawled towards Naruto, coming to a rest with his head resting against Naruto's shoulder. He sucked in deep breaths, knowing he was probably going to pass out soon. If he was lucky, he would do so before they hit the bottom.

His eyes blearily opened and he saw Naruto's face, the blond hair whipping around while the long golden lashes fluttered lightly. Sasuke found himself smiling despite the situation. Naruto looked like a child.

'_I bet he'd be insulted if I told him that,_' he thought before blinking. '_...But we're going to die. He won't know anything after this..._' he thought and a voice inside the back of his head was pushing him forwards.

He leant over, shoulder stretching and making him hiss but he didn't stop. He touched Naruto's face, pushing it until he had a clear view of the blond's mouth. He couldn't believe he was about to do this; it seemed completely insane.

'_Well you're going to die anyway. Why not do something spontaneous for once? It's not like he's ever going to know and you won't have to think about it afterwards...just do it,_' he thought and nodded.

With a shaky breath, he leant over and pressed his lips against the blond's. Slowly, he moved his own over the pliant lips below, and without much thought he dipped his tongue inside while his eyes closed in delirious bliss.

'_He...kind of tastes...like...metal? Like blood?_' he wondered. He slumped slightly, feeling his body give in to the darkness that was sleep and he smiled against Naruto's lips before he pulled back slightly.

"Goodbye, Naruto," he mumbled before his head fell forwards, resting in the crook of Naruto's neck and chest.

At that moment blue eyes opened wide before the edges tinted red.

**~ADB~**

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><p>Sasori stood near the window in his office, fingers playing with a small coin. His eyes observed the city below with disgust while he waited.<p>

After a few moments, the door opened and a flustered man ran in, his dark hair a mess and his appearance ruffled to indicate his haste.

"S-sir!" he said, straightening up and taking a breath, "we searched the elevator shaft from top to bottom...there was no sign of any bodies!"

Sasori stopped flipping the coin between his fingers, his eyes sliding to the messenger.

"...So what you're telling me...is that a pair of agents escaped from their supposed certain death along with my flash drive?" he asked coldly and the man gulped before nodding slowly, his eyes on the ground.

"Yes sir."

Sasori breathed deeply through his nose, fingers resuming their movements as the coin slipped between them. In a move too quick to counter, he spun around and flung out his right arm. Something barely visible whipped through the air and wrapped around the messenger's throat. The man gasped, his eyes bulging as he clawed at his neck in a desperate and vain attempt to get the thread off.

"P-please!" he gargled out, face turning an interesting shade of purple and blue. Sasori didn't waver, fingers pulling tightly on the string while he watched his subordinate die slowly in front of him. Finally, the man's eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed to his knees before falling to his face, his last breath of life having been stolen long ago. Sasori waited for a few seconds before jerking his fingers. A metallic whizz sounded as the thread retreated back into his sleeve and he lazily fixed his cuff.

"Still as ruthless as ever, I see," a smooth voice said with a bored tone as a figure stepped into the room. Sasori turned to his new visitor and tilted his head up.

"Well well...if it isn't _Itachi_," he greeted haughtily. "What brings you here?"

Itachi stepped over the dead body, his long raven hair swishing in the loose tie that held it by his neck. His face was handsome and smooth but for two deep lines running down either side of his nose, beginning at his eyes which were as black as the reaper's cloak. He looked down at the body before turning back to the shorter man.

"Our leader received word that there was some trouble here and he sent me to see what was going on," Itachi smirked lightly and tilted his head to the side. "...I trust that things are all _under control_ here, Sasori?" he asked although there was obvious mocking in his tone. Sasori grit his teeth tightly. He knew that the man before him knew that things were definitely _not_ under control.

"Well Itachi, as I'm sure you already know, two agents broke into my building and stole my flash drive. We thought that they would die, as we had managed to trap them in an elevator with a one-way ticket to hell. However," Sasori straightened up and smoothed out his jacket, "it seems that they...escaped."

"And they took the flash drive?" Itachi asked monotonously, looking around the office in vague curiosity. Sasori growled before sniffing.

"It's a bit odd though," he began slyly and smirked when Itachi's eyes turned to him, "one of the agents greatly resembled you. Why...he looked like he could have been your _brother_," Sasori finished with a gleam in his eye.

Itachi's face darkened greatly. "That is highly unlikely, Sasori," he drawled icily and the shorter man's smirk slid off his face as Itachi approached. The raven leant down until he was level with the red-head and he whispered the rest of his sentence. "After all...all the Uchiha's aside from me died many years ago, as I'm sure you can recall. It was quite a big thing in the news."

Sasori backed away, frowning angrily. "Yes, I'm aware of the Uchiha family demise. I was merely...stating an opinion," he muttered and Itachi nodded curtly.

"Just as I thought. Well...if we are quite done here, I must go and report your latest blunder to the leader," he said airily, turning and gliding out of the room.

"There's another thing you should know, Itachi," Sasori said quickly, his fingers resuming their nervous game. "...It appears that one of the agents somehow got injected."

Itachi's back stiffened.

"...I see," he said before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him with a final and ominous snap.

**~ADB~**

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><p><strong>AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Muahahah! Eheheheh! Weeheheheheh! *gasps for breath* Ahahaa ha ha ha!<strong>

**Kaoru: She's scaring me.**

**Kamari: I think she's scaring a lot of people. -_-**

**Aaaah...too much hot chocolate. ._. It does that to me. Well, aside from my psychotic rambling and laughing and such, I hope you all enjoyed this nice long chapter! A lot has happened and things are now taking a serious pick-up! I'm sorry I left it on a bit of a cliffy...but I'm an evil bitch like that so SUFFER! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**... **

**...Please don't hurt me. ._.**

**And for all the people questioning whether the twins were good guys or bad guys or even there at all, you now have a half answer. It's a half answer because...of stuff I have planned. (Kaoru: She lies, she's making most of this shit up as she goes!) Ignore my bitter and soon-to-be-dead creation, he's just having a hissy fit because I took his pocky away. (Kaoru: YOU SEE HOW EVIL SHE IS? And people say I'M the madman!)**

**Well, I'm out of things to say so it's time for me to take my leave. Look forward to the next chapter, it will be out next week, Friday latest, Wednesday earliest! Please remember to leave a review or Kaoru will reinact his part in Oh Teh Joy! (Read up if you've forgotten just who he was in there. *evil grin*)  
><strong>


	8. Biological Whatnow?

**Aaaw! Hello everyone, I'm here with another update of ADB! I hope you all enjoy it, and sorry for the cliffie in the last one. This chapter is nice and long too, so be happy! :D  
>*cooes* To make things even better, I've got a Naruto Shimeji (desktop buddy) and he's crawling around my screen right now! It's so adorable...Especially when he clones himself! It was hilarious the other night...I had four of him on my screen and I left to go get dinner...when I came back...There were 25. O_O I laughed soooo hard.<strong>

**Anyway, without further ado, I bring you all the next chapter.**

**(AAARGH! I'm falling behind on chapters! I need to write faster! DX)**

**((Sorry for any mistakes I may have missed))  
><strong>

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><p>Sasuke's body hurt like hell when he finally regained consciousness. However, it was not beyond him to realize how much of a miracle that was in and of itself.<p>

'_I'm alive...I survived again. How? There was no one to save me, was there?_' he wondered while he struggled to open his eyes. When all the blurred shapes and colours moved to make sense, he groaned and turned away.

"Kill me now," he mumbled unhappily.

If Sakura heard his comment, she did a brilliant job of ignoring it entirely. Instead, she leant closer, pressing her hand to his forehead while worry shone in her eyes.

"Thank God you're awake! I've...everyone's been so worried!" she gasped, pulling his face forward to flash a light in his eyes. "Can you see? Do you know who you are?" she questioned.

Sasuke scowled, reaching up a bandaged arm to swat the light away. "Yes I know who I bloody well am, and no I cannot see since you're shoving that damn light straight into my eyes!" he snarled, sitting up despite Sakura's protests.

He was in a bed in the hospital section of the agency; that much he could tell. It wasn't a place he'd frequented and frankly he avoided it as much as possible, not only because he didn't want injuries but also Sakura was on staff. It's not that he hated her...he just really, really, _really_ disliked her.

A quick look around showed that he was the only one there with bandages wrapped around his body and wires connecting him to various machines. He tried to think of what had happened before he woke up...and then his stomach dropped.

"Where's Naruto?" he asked softly even as Sakura was trying to push him back down. She paused, looking down at him hesitantly and instantly Sasuke's guards were up.

"Where is he?" he asked slowly, the dark tone of his voice making Sakura swallow.

"I don't think you should be worrying about tha-" Sakura's sentence was cut off when hands roughly grabbed the front of her jacket. She squeaked in fear when a pair of deadly black eyes glared straight into her own.

"Where is my partner?.!" Sasuke roared angrily. Sakura paled under his anger, shocked by his actions. She reached up, shakily trying to pull his hands out of her jacket but he held on tight. Had the situation been any different, she may have relished in the close contact. He was practically breathing down her throat.

"H-H-He's in t-the next r-room!" she stammered fearfully. Sasuke released her, pushing her aside even as he climbed out of the bed. The wires jerked and he hissed, ripping out the injections with a few grunts. Sakura snapped out of nervous daze and straightened.

"Wait! Agent, you need to rest! You're injuries are quite severe and you shouldn't be movi-"

"Shut up Sakura."

Sakura blanched at the interruption, staring at Sasuke as he finished pulling out the last wire before he started to stomp towards the door. Dressed in nothing but a pair of light blue pants, Sakura couldn't help but observe him as he stalked away. His shoulder still had a bandage wrapped around it, and there were angry burn marks littering his back and his arms. He reached the door and slid it open, almost knocking over a nurse in the process. The poor woman cowered under his glare and stepped aside. It was then that Sakura gave chase.

"Hold it! Agent Uchiha, as vice-head of the medical department of this agency, I have to insist that you-"

"Sod off Haruno!" Sasuke snapped in retort, completely ignoring any authority she was using. Sakura clenched her fists, stomping after the man. She was the vice-head of the department, for crying out loud. If she ordered a patient to bed, be it Sasuke or the Chief himself, they had to listen to her!

"Uchiha! Last warning before I-" Sakura stopped speaking the moment she turned the corner.

Sasuke was standing outside the examination room, looking through the glass window with wide eyes and a pale face. He reached up, placing a hand against the cool glass as his eyes took in the sight before him.

Naruto was lying on a table with wires attached to almost every inch of his skin. An oxygen mask was adorning his face, and Sasuke could see heart monitors, vital-readers and all manner of machines surrounding him. Standing beside the blond was the Chief himself looking down at Naruto with a look of worry and severe distress on his face. Kakashi was also there, his arms crossed and his eye trained on one of the machines. Sasuke could see the stress in the man's posture. Then there was a person Sasuke had only had the misfortune of meeting personally once. The head of the research department, Orochimaru Sannin, was standing nearby with a chart in hand. His long, greasy-looking black hair was pulled back over his shoulder as he scribbled something down. Sasuke's fingers clenched against the glass window when the man prodded Naruto's face.

Finally there was a woman that Sasuke had never seen before. She was tall, with dusty blonde hair pulled back into two pigtails hanging at her neck and the largest chest he'd ever seen on a human being. She was saying something to the Chief, her eyes darting around from machines to Naruto to the men gathered. Sasuke saw Orochimaru comment on something she said, and it seemed to spark a slight argument.

"Sa-...Agent, please return to your bed," Sakura eventually said to break the tense air. Sasuke didn't even bother telling her to shut up this time and Sakura sighed, wondering how many brownie points she would lose by dragging the man to his bed by force. She began to roll up her sleeve, flexing her muscles slightly while she contemplated ways to sedate him before he could kill her.

"Who is that woman?" Sasuke asked suddenly, nodding towards the unknown blonde. Sakura glanced over, her hands coming up to roll her other sleeve up.

"That is Tsunade Senju, the head of the medical department in Agent Uzumaki's agency. She's one of the best surgeons in the world, actually. The Chief called her in when Uzumaki collapsed after you two were picked up a block away from the building-"

"What?" Sasuke asked, his eyes widening. "What do you mean after he collapsed? And a block away? That's not possible!"

Sakura frowned. "What do you mean? Agent Uzumaki called for pick-up exactly one block away from the building you were sent to. He was in really bad shape as it was and collapsed the moment he finished helping load you into the van. You were severely injured and you'd lost a lot of blood from the wound to your shoulder-"

"But," Sasuke interrupted and Sakura growled at being cut off yet again, "that's...he was unconscious. He was drugged and he blacked out while we were in the elevator! How did we go from both being unconscious in a plummeting elevator shaft to being a block away with the moron loading me into a van?.!" Sasuke yelled, taking a step forward. Sakura held her hand up in warning.

"Agent I-"

"Sasuke." Kakashi's voice smoothly broke in and Sakura gaped angrily at him. She'd been interrupted again! Sasuke spun around to look at Kakashi, who simply regarded him casually.

"...You look like shit," Kakashi continued helpfully and Sasuke threw him a dirty glare. "Ah, such love. Anyway, the Chief asks that you please step in. We would like to talk to you about the events of last night," he finished sternly.

"Wait!" Sakura piped up, looking scandalised. "Sir, with all due respect, he is still in the process of healing! He should not be wandering around-"

"I'm sure he'll be happy to jump back into bed the moment we're finished our discussion, Miss Haruno," Kakashi interrupted smoothly and he chuckled at the outraged look on her face. "Come along, Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't spare the fuming woman a glance as he followed the older man into the examination room. Everyone's heads turned to him and Sasuke offered a blank nod to the Chief.

"Ah Sasuke, good to see you're okay," Sarutobi said fondly and Sasuke nodded again. "I'm sure you don't want to be interrogated so soon after waking up but..." his eyes trailed over to Naruto and Sasuke tensed, "...Circumstances call for some things that aren't too enjoyable."

"Sir," Sasuke began and he quickly swallowed away the unease he felt. He was stubbornly refusing to look at Naruto from this close up. He didn't want to see how bad the damage was. "What...circumstances?"

Sarutobi sighed, lacing his hands behind his back. "Sasuke, please allow me to introduce you to Tsunade Senju, the head of-"

"-the medical department at Na-...Uzumaki's agency," Sasuke gathered himself for a moment. "Yes I'm aware of who she is."

Sarutobi nodded. "And of course you know Orochimaru, our head of research."

Sasuke nodded at the man, who smiled. "Hello Sasuke. It's good to see you with all of your limbs attached...at least I hope all of them are?" he said, eyes briefly darting downwards. Kakashi snorted softly while Sasuke glared. Orochimaru just smiled creepily.

"Excuse me?" Tsunade spoke up with irritation clear in her tone. "There are more important matters to discuss than whether someone has lost a dick or not!" she snapped and all the men thought the same thing.

'_Sure, she _would_ think that is unimportant. Women..._'

"What is it that needs to be discussed?" Sasuke asked, directing his attention to the doctor. Tsunade sighed, looking down at Naruto like Sasuke refused to and the Uchiha saw a fond gleam in her eyes.

"...It seemed that something foreign was injected into Naruto's system. Do you know of this?" she asked and Sasuke nodded.

"Yes. When we reached the private area of the building we were ambushed. They had us locked in the main office, bound to chairs-"

"Ah the chair-prison. A favourite, it would seem," Kakashi agreed. Sasuke sent him a glare.

"Yes, we were tied to chairs. However after a minute the leader, who was about five foot one I'd guess, and who had pale red hair, got a text about some shipment that arrived. We weren't able to learn anymore but they left. While we were working on an escape, someone came into the room and turned off the light. They ended up releasing us, but they also injected Uzumaki with something. When the light was turned on, the person was gone and we were free. However, Uzumaki was struggling to do anything on his own and passed out after we entered the elevator. We had a captive with us but it seemed they managed to convey their situation to their co-workers somehow. The captive was rescued and the rescuer ended up cutting the cable. The elevator was loose and...frankly sir, I have no idea how we are both alive right now," Sasuke finished, tilting his head up and glancing at the ceiling.

Sarutobi looked even more concerned. "And you didn't have any idea who the person who released you was? There was no talking between you?"

Sasuke frowned. "No sir...all they said was 'mind your language'," he admitted and ignored Kakashi's comment of 'potty-mouth' to continue, "But they were whispering...there was no way for me to identify the voice."

"I see...well, for now we'll focus on what we do know and what we can explain. Sasuke, I want you to include every detail you can remember about that encounter in your report though," the Chief instructed and Sasuke nodded before turning back to Tsunade and nodding for her to continue.

"Well...it would seem that they injected a new type of virus into Naruto's system. It's...unlike anything we've really seen before. The effects it has..." she trailed off, looking down at Naruto with something akin to awe on her face. Sasuke was tense while he waited...and waited...and waited some more...

"The effects?" he prompted finally, impatient.

"Strange effects indeed," Orochimaru spoke up, once more scribbling something on his chart. "From what we've seen, this virus doesn't destroy cells or weaken them. It's the opposite, really. It seems to merge or cover the cells and enhance them somehow. Greater speed, greater strength, higher regeneration rates...it's like a-"

"Like a superhuman," Sasuke caught on and Orochimaru nodded, pointing his pen at the Uchiha in agreement.

"Exactly. It makes the subject close to superhuman. However," he said while turning to look at Naruto again, "it looks like this virus is incomplete. While the effects are incredible, they are not permanent. It looks like after a certain amount of time, the virus cells begin to break down."

"So the effects don't last?" Sasuke asked while refusing to acknowledge the relief he felt. "But then why is he still out?" he asked, motioning to Naruto.

"That's the thing. The virus breaks down until it's barely existent...but it doesn't completely vanish. At least...not in every case," Orochimaru finished with a sly grin. Sasuke raised a brow in question.

"The virus cells in Naruto's body have become dormant, but we suspect it's only for a certain interval. They will reawaken once the interval is over and perhaps be active for an hour at most. Then they will become dormant again," Tsunade said and Sasuke turned to her.

"I still don't understand what makes it special in Uzumaki's case," he said. There was a hint of annoyance in his tone that the others easily picked up. Tsunade clicked her tongue.

"What's special in _Naruto's_ case, you little twit, is that he has an extremely rare blood type. We took a few of the virus cells and injected them into a different subject, but after an hour the cells broke down and were released from the system via natural means. The subject no longer had the virus in their bodies," she explained snappily and Sasuke blinked.

'_A surgeon just called me a twit..._'

"So then what you're saying is that-"

"-Only those with this blood type are able to hold the virus permanently," Orochimaru finished with a flourish. Kakashi groaned.

"So what does this organization want with this virus?" he wondered aloud.

"My best guess would be that this new organization is attempting to create this virus in a way that will work on any blood type. It would be an incredibly huge break in medical science, and on top of that the uses it would have are astounding. For example," Orochimaru dropped his chart and strolled over to the wall, his medical coat flapping about him. Everyone turned to watch him curiously.

"Imagine I'm a soldier, working for this organization," the man began, marching around. "And then I'm sent into a battle. Now I'm enhanced with this new virus, so my strength and speed is unmatched by normal humans. I'd be able to take out twice as many people as the most skilled soldier, and I wouldn't even need as much training!" He made stabbing motions in the air and twirled around as if he were on a battle field.

"And then I get shot," he added, clutching at a spot on his stomach. "But because of the regeneration abilities of the virus, I don't even need to stop and examine my wound because it would be healing already at an incredibly fast rate. I wouldn't even lose too much blood!" he finished, spreading his arms out wide. "Now tell me...what evil organization wouldn't want that?" he added with a wink.

The others shared a look; one which showed their understanding of the situation, and also showed their joint belief that Orochimaru was missing quite a few screws in his sanity-framework.

"So then the data on the flash drive?" Sasuke asked and Tsunade nodded.

"It was a list of people who share the blood type that is compatible with the virus. Our guess is that the organization was collecting these people for experiments to try and utilize their unique blood cell structure to create a new virus," she affirmed.

Sasuke turned back, allowing himself to look at Naruto from afar. "What happens now?"

"We'll be sending agents out to find the people remaining and bring them to safety. Unfortunately, while this might slow down the organizations plans, it will not entirely stop them. Also, we'll have to try and gather information on this mystery rescuer. Whoever injected Uzumaki with the virus knew that he would be able to hold it. They were helping us," Sarutobi's gaze travelled to Kakashi and the man nodded.

"I'll get right on it," he said and waved at the others before leaving the room.

"Also," Sarutobi turned to Sasuke once more, his gaze softening, "I want you to stay here until Uzumaki wakes up. You'll help Tsunade explain what's happened. He has a right to know that things are going to change for him, after all."

Sasuke nodded, only now realizing that Naruto would probably never be the same again. The virus was in his system, and even if it wasn't harmful to him it would make him different. It would be a challenge for him to adjust to the changes.

Sasuke sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"...Understood, sir."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Hours bled past as Sasuke lay in the bed they had given him. Naruto had been moved from the examination room and placed into a bed right next to his own. Apparently the machines were just to make sure nothing happened to him, but Tsunade was confident that he would be alright.<p>

Sasuke stared at the ceiling, thinking things over in his mind.

'_So the bad guys are going for a biological plot eh? Who'd have imagined...a virus to make someone superhuman. Then again I suppose it's better than that weird guy last year who was kidnapping important political figures children and leaving ransom notes in their underwear drawers. Who was it who caught that guy? Oh yeah, it was the chief's son, Asuma. I wonder how he is? He moved in with his girlfriend...something about her being knocked up. Poor woman, I guess._'

He turned his head as his thoughts continued down a mundane path of little to no revelation and his eyes fixated upon Naruto's face.

'_He still looks like a child. Hmm...why do I feel déjà vu? Looks like a child...oh right. I thought that before the elevator crashed. They never did explain how I got out. But I guess Naruto was the one...he must've woken up and used his superhuman abilities to get us out. Damn, now I owe him even more._'

Without much thought, Sasuke sat up, pushing the covers off of his body before he climbed out of the bed. He stood over Naruto's, looking down at the resting blond. His face was blank as he observed him but for the slightest upturn of a sneer on his lips.

'_Che. Why do I need to owe him dammit? I saved his life twice too! I don't owe him!_' he nodded to himself. Suddenly Naruto shuffled in his sleep, turning over slightly. Sasuke stood still, watching him with cautious eyes. When the blond came to a rest, his hair was falling over his eyes.

'_He kind of looks like he did in the elevator. All childish and...wait..._' Onyx eyes widened as the Uchiha looked away from the bed, his lips parting in horrific realization. '_We...we're alive...which means that everything that happened in the elevator...he'll remember it...he...I..._' His fingers reached up to lightly brush against his lips while his eyes bulged. A soft sigh from Naruto made him turn his had so fast he felt his neck crick. The man in the bed simply shuffled deeper under his covers, lips parting into a gentle snore.

'_And I...k...k...ki..._'

Sasuke looked around the room, his eyes settling on a wooden clipboard resting on a table against the wall. Without any hesitation he ran over to it and picked it up. Taking slow but sure steps back towards the bed, he stared down at the blond with a slightly demented gleam in his eye.

'_There's no choice...I cannot allow him to remember that incident..._' he thought and nodded again, lifting the board up high. '_I'll have to kill him. It's the only way!_'

Blue eyes cracked open.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING, BASTARD?.!"

Sasuke froze, arms raised high in the air and eyes wide. Slowly, he felt his composure and sanity slip back into his character and awkwardly let his arms lower. He fiddled with the clipboard, avoiding eye contact with Naruto as the latter glared at him from the bed.

"...There was a bug..." he mumbled lamely and Naruto's eyebrows vanished into his hairline.

"...And you were planning to massacre it, and my face, with a wooden clipboard?" he asked sceptically. Sasuke looked down at the object, rubbing at his neck awkwardly before he tossed it onto his own bed and shrugged.

"...Maybe..."

Naruto blinked bemusedly before narrowing his eyes. "...Are you high? Did they give you some morphine or something?" he asked suspiciously.

Sasuke growled, crossing his arms. "Hn. Whatever idiot."

Naruto smiled. "Ah, there's the bastard I know and struggle to like on a good day!" he said, laughing when Sasuke sent him a glare.

"Hn. If you're done, we need to talk."

Naruto paled. "Shit. Every time someone says 'we need to talk' it always ends in tears, heartbreak or angry sex...and frankly I'd rather not have any of those occur this afternoon!" he said as he sat up.

Sasuke's eye twitched, but he shook it off and sat down-sneakily removing the clipboard from under his ass and sliding it beneath the covers. He reached over and pressed the call button that Tsunade had instructed him to press once Naruto woke up. While they waited for her to arrive, the raven thought back on his previous actions.

'_I must be losing it. He was asleep during that incident. He won't remember!_' he thought and internally smiled at having regained his ability to think rationally. Obviously the injuries to his shoulder had made him a little less logical than he had thought.

"Hey Uchiha..." Naruto began, looking thoughtfully at his hands while he fiddled with blanket.

"Hn?"

Naruto rolled his eyes at the reply before turning to regard Sasuke. "...This is going to sound odd, I'm sure but I just have to ask...Did you kiss me in the elevator?" he asked bluntly.

Sasuke stared at him with the most dead expression he'd ever put upon his face. He looked the epitome of bored and calm. On the inside, however, he was experiencing a nuclear meltdown in the small internal town of Uchiha-Ville. Panic, fear and all around insanity was raging through his mind and body while he kept his silence and Naruto stared at him with those God-awfully innocently curious eyes and everything was rushing forward and he felt his mouth open and words slide past-

"Hn. In your dreams, moron."

And just like that, order was restored.

Naruto blinked before laughing loudly, his eyes closing and freeing Sasuke from their innocent, I-know-what-you-did-last-summer look and he felt himself breathe again now that they were closed. When Naruto finally calmed down, he turned back to Sasuke and his eyes were no longer piercing and curious but rather amused and calm.

"Yeah right. I guess I must've just been having one hell of a nightmare. That drug must've really affected me weirdly," he reasoned, rubbing at his arm.

Sasuke frowned. "Idiot. If anyone dreamt of getting kissed by me, it would not be a nightmare," he sniffed, turning his nose up. Naruto chuckled again, shrugging.

"Sure sure, whatever you say bastard. Anyway, what're we waiting for?" he asked.

On cue, the door opened and Naruto turned to look. The moment Tsunade stepped through the door he was jumping out of his bed and hiding behind Sasuke.

"DON'T LET HER HURT ME!" he yelled and Sasuke covered his ears, wincing at the volume. Tsunade stomped into the room.

"Get your ass over here, you shitty brat, before I drag you by your nose!" she ordered, and Naruto cowered behind his raven haired comrade.

Sasuke simply sat, examining his nails while. "Hn. When you finally grow some balls, moron, we've got stuff to do," he drawled and received a smack upside the head.

"Asshole," Naruto mumbled but stood up. "Hi Granny," he greeted and Sasuke blinked in surprise.

"You're related?" he asked, turning to look at Naruto. The blond shook his head.

"Not officially but she's been around since I was thirteen. She's practically family anyway," he shrugged, crossing his arms while Tsunade marched up to him. Sasuke watched the woman warily, and then he winced when her hands came up to start beating against Naruto's head.

"Hey hey! What the hell-ouch! G-granny! What're you d-doing?" Naruto yelled, covering his head to try and save himself from the beating. Finally, with a final thump against his head, Tsunade finished her attack and stood back while Naruto sputtered angrily. "What was that for?" he demanded.

"That's for being careless on the mission and getting hurt!" Tsunade snapped with absolutely no remorse in her tone while she ushered Naruto back to his bed. Passing Sasuke and seeing the smirk upon his face, Tsunade reached over and slapped him upside the head. At his incredulous glare, she scowled. "That's for letting my fake-grandson get hurt!"

Sasuke growled, rubbing at the spot she'd hit and finding he already had a little bump forming. Tsunade was strong, that was for sure. It was surprising, since she looked quite thin. Well, aside from those giant basketballs resting on her chest anyway.

"What's going on? Sasuke said there's something we need to talk about. What is it? And why the hell are you even here?" Naruto asked, pointing a finger at Tsunade. She smacked his hand down before seating herself on a bed and crossing her arms. For a moment, she stared at the floor before taking a breath and looking up.

"Naruto. We need to talk about the drug that was injected into your system," she began. Naruto nodded, rubbing at the spot on his arm that the needle had entered.

"Okay. What was that anyway? It sure as shit made me feel weird," he mumbled.

"Before I go on to explain what the drug was, first explain how you managed to get both yourself and Uchiha out of that elevator shaft and out of the building alive," Tsunade ordered. Sasuke straightened up, intrigued to hear how they had gotten out.

Naruto rubbed a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. "You know, it's kind of blurry. Like...like I was half asleep while it all happened," he admitted before crossing his arms. "But...I woke up and Sasuke was unconscious, almost half on top of me. He was bleeding badly and I could see the gunshot wound to his shoulder. The elevator was almost near the ground, I would guess but we were passing many elevator doors. It looked like they were all open. I...I stood up and grabbed Sasuke, securing him over my shoulder. Then I just...jumped through a set of open doors we passed. It was on the second floor, so of course I had to move away from the doors when it hit the ground and exploded. Then...I guess I blanked out because when I next realized what was happening, I was running through the lobby and a lot of the guards were dead or unconscious. It sucks that I can't even describe the battle and brag about it, since I have no real memory of it," he added with a small chuckle. Sasuke shook his head.

"Moron," he muttered under his breath and Naruto sent him a glare.

"Anyway," the blond continued, "I carried Uchiha's sorry ass down the street while keeping an eye out for any followers. When I was at a safe distance, I just called in for retrieval and medical help. And the rest you know, I'd imagine," he finished with a slight shrug. Tsunade nodded slowly, bringing her hand up to chew on her thumbnail. Sasuke waited patiently, his mind churning over the previous conversations he'd had with the Chief and the two doctors.

"So...about that drug?" Naruto prompted after a long silence. Tsunade scooted back and motioned for Naruto to take a seat. He walked over and sat down next to Sasuke, his shoulder briefly pushing against his before he moved away. Sasuke found himself squishing a whole horde of inner-cheerleaders after that touch. He was starting to think he needed some serious therapy.

"This is going to be hard for you to take in, but you need to know," Tsunade began, eyeing the blond warily. She could see the tension in Naruto's shoulders the moment she finished her sentence and her eyes softened. "The drug that was injected into your system...was a revolutionary virus."

"...Virus?" Naruto repeated slowly, his eyes widening at the thought. "A virus? Am I sick?"

"No. It's not a virus that destroys cells," Tsunade reassured, "In fact it's quite the opposite. This virus is made up of several complex and rare components that enable it to merge with the cells in the body and, daresay, improve them somewhat. For example," she checked her watch, staring at the ticking hand for a moment before looking up, "go over to that cabinet over there and pick it up."

Both men turned their heads to where she was indicating. There was a large metal cabinet, filled with medical supplies such as bandage packs, wipes and blankets and tubes of ointment and such. It was big, shiny and easily weighed about a ton.

"Pick it up? Are you going senile?" Naruto asked only to yelp when a pillow smacked into his face.

"Brat! Don't make me kick you! Now do it!" Tsunade snapped, a vein throbbing in her forehead. Sasuke snickered to himself while Naruto squeezed the pillow-projectile. In retaliation, Naruto smacked Sasuke on the shoulder with it before walking towards the cabinet.

Sasuke and Tsunade watched carefully, eyes trained on Naruto as he stood in front of the cabinet, obviously unsure with his ability to lift it. With one more glance towards the other two he shrugged and reached around the cabinet, grabbing its sides. Clenching his jaw, he started to lift. For a moment, there was only the sound of Naruto grunting in effort and a slight creak of metal being pushed.

Tsunade looked down at her watch again. '_Five...four...three...two...one...now!_'

Naruto gasped, eyes shooting open as he felt his entire body throb. It was as if fire was spreading through his veins. His muscles tensed and he let out a yell when the cabinet began to lift in his arms; in his surprise, he dropped it.

There was a huge crash as the cabinet fell to the floor. The impact caused its contents to rattle around and some fell against the glass doors, forcing them open and shattering a few of the panes. The whole thing teetered on the spot before it began to fall forwards. Naruto was still standing in shock beneath it, staring at it with wide eyes.

Sasuke cursed, jumping off his bed. He made to run towards Naruto, his head spinning with thoughts of '_He's going to get crushed! Move moron, move!_'

Before he could take more than one giant step, a hand grabbed his wrist. His head snapped around to see Tsunade firmly holding him back.

"What're you-"

"Leave him. He'll need to see what happens," she instructed, her eyes trained on Naruto. Sasuke turned his head, watching as the cabinet finally started to fall in earnest.

Naruto snapped out of his daze, taking several steps back. Glass cut his unprotected feet, but he couldn't feel it. As the cabinet came down, he held up his arms to shield himself. He felt it smash down on him, the weight making him crouch and a slight pain splaying out from his arms and head.

However it was only slight.

Sasuke gaped at the sight before him, eyes blinking several times as he took it in.

'_He really...he really has got the virus inside him! He's not normal anymore! He's almost...superhuman!_'

Naruto stared at his arms, watching as the bruises and miniscule cuts faded. He stepped back, feeling his feet heal too. His eyes were wide and his skin a tad paler as he turned to face Tsunade.

"I...I..."

"The virus activates every four hours, it would seem. Its effects last for exactly one hour and two minutes. Naruto...during that time, you will have greater strength, speed and regeneration. You will be above normal, a superman in a sense. You're body will be able to withstand things that even the toughest man could not. You are-"

"A freak," Naruto interrupted, staring at his hands. "I'm a freak! What the fuck is this shit?" he snapped, turning to look at her. "Isn't there an antidote? A cure? Can't you get this virus out of me?.!"

Tsunade sighed. "I thought you would think like that. Naruto, you are still _you_. You haven't changed all that much! It's just a few added effects-"

"I just picked up a whole ton of metal, glass and various items of various mass! My feet were cut by glass, and yet now they're smooth and unscarred! My arms had bruises and now it's like it never existed," Naruto said slowly. His tone was low and deadly, surprising both occupants in the room. "What's next? I hug a friend and snap their spine accidentally? I push my little cousin on the swing and she ends up flying across the playground? I drop a mirror that shatters over my leg but I keep walking and scare anyone that saw?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.

"Or maybe you'll lift a car off a trapped man who was working beneath it. Maybe you'll be able to pick up several kids at once and give them piggy back rides around the beach and save them from the risk of getting their feet cut by broken glass or shells. Maybe you'll be able to walk through the flames of a burning building and save someone who wouldn't have been able to take the first step without dying! Did it ever occur in that pitiful matchbox you call a skull that you could use this to help people? That you could use it to help yourself? God knows how much of a stupid klutz you are! Maybe this is what you need to stay alive for a few more years instead of getting shot in the ass and bleeding to death like you would have otherwise!" Sasuke was yelling by the end, sweeping his arm in an aggravated gesture. Naruto was staring at him, mouth open in surprise at the raven's rant. Neither of them noticed that Tsunade had slipped quietly out the door and was walking away with a smile on her face.

"Sasuke...B-Bastard! It's easy for you to talk that way! You're not some freak! Those are all lovely scenarios but the chances of me being in any of those situations are...ludicrous! B-Besides! I am not a stupid klutz and my skull is not the size of a matchbox!" Naruto yelled angrily and Sasuke smirked.

"You're right, I was lying when I said it was the size of a matchbox...it's obviously not that size," he admitted and Naruto grinned in triumph. "Saying it is the size of a peanut shell would be much closer to the truth," Sasuke finished with a grin that was filled with evil contempt.

Naruto made unintelligible sounds of anger before he took a menacing step forward. "Bastard! At least my heart isn't the size of a grain of sand!" he stabbed, poking at Sasuke's bare chest harshly.

Sasuke grunted at the poke, feeling the extra strength in Naruto's muscles. It had only been about twenty minutes since the virus activated. He would have to make sure not to bait Naruto to the point of a fight. Prideful as he may be, he would admit that in his current state, Naruto would be able to crush him quite easily. The thought both annoyed and awed Sasuke.

"Hn. If having a big heart means having little intelligence, I think I'll stick to being a cold-hearted asshole," Sasuke said, brushing his hand against the spot that Naruto touched as if to wipe away dirt. Naruto growled, flexing his hands.

He wanted to shove the asshole in front of him, but the reasonable-and rarely heard from- part of his mind was reminding him that he was still under the effect of the drug. If he shoved Sasuke now, even lightly, the man would probably end up flipping backwards over the bed behind him and hitting his head against the wall.

"Well, at least you can admit that you're an asshole. They say admittance is the first step to recovery!" Naruto retorted, smirking when Sasuke scowled at him.

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest, only now remember that he was shirtless. He then noticed that Naruto was dressed in the same light blue pants that he was and he was shirtless too. Despite his inner-Uchiha screaming for him not to, his eyes gained a life of their own and had themselves a quick feast of Naruto's bare torso which was proudly on display.

"Hn. You call those muscles? They look like flabby pancakes to me," he said, poking Naruto's abs. '_Liar, liar, tongue on fire._'

"What'd you say? I am very muscular! Unlike you, you skinny toothpick!" Naruto retorted, waving his hand in front of Sasuke's chest. '_God that was the worst lie I've ever told. He's got muscle; a blind man would be able to tell! Dammit Naruto!_'

"Excuse me? I've got more muscle than you, not to mention I'm leaner. You're a bit on the flabby side!" Sasuke teased, reaching out to punch Naruto's stomach tauntingly. '_...Ouch._'

"I am not flabby!" Naruto growled. He hadn't even felt that punch and his mind was replaying everything Tsunade had told him. Speaking of Tsunade...

"Hey, where'd she go?" he asked suddenly, turning to look around the room. Sasuke paused in his retort and glanced around. They were indeed alone and he felt a bit mortified at the fact that they had been touching each other's bare chests-tauntingly or not- while alone.

Clearing his throat, he ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, avoiding the blue eyes that were glancing to him in slight embarrassment. It seems Naruto was thinking along the same lines as he was.

"Well...I guess we should rest up some more. We're going to have to rethink our plans with the chief with this new information," Sasuke said by way of breaking the silence. Naruto nodded, drumming his fingers against his arm.

"Right. Good suggestion. Well, er...goodnight?" he said with a sheepish smile and a shrug. Sasuke chuckled lightly, walking towards the beds and lying back in his own.

"Hn. Idiot."

"You're terms of endearments for me are so flattering. My heart aches with joy," Naruto drawled sarcastically as he climbed into his own bed. Sasuke smirked, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes. Soft breaths filled the room for a while and Sasuke was drifting on the verge of sleep when a thought occurred to him. He tried to brush it aside, but it stayed stuck in his head. His cheeks heated slightly as he cleared his throat again.

"Hey, Uzumaki..."

"Mmnh?" Naruto groaned, obviously on the verge of sleep himself.

"In...In your dream...where I kissed you...what...what was it like?" he asked, feeling his entire face enflame at the fact he just asked that question. '_Smite me now, God! I beg you!_'

A heavy silence reigned for a moment before... "I cannot believe you just asked me that question, Duck-Butt."

Sasuke growled, turning over on his side. "Hn. Shut up, Fish-Cake!" he grumbled.

He heard Naruto chuckle and was about to force himself into sleep when he heard a soft whisper that may not have meant to be heard at all.

"It was nice..."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Kaoru stalked down the dingy hallway, sneezing at the dust that wafted through the stale air. He really hated it down here. While he admitted he could be a bit of a pig-hell some of his college laundry used to laugh at his jokes- he really felt dirty when he was down this particular basement. The low voltage bulbs buzzed dully overhead as he stomped forward and he stuck a finger in his ear to half drown out the noise.<p>

"Tch, this place stinks," he muttered, his nose scrunching slightly at the rusty metal mixed with grime stench permeating the air.

"Whatever they called us for, it must be serious for us to go this deep," his twin spoke from behind him, a hand covering his mouth and nose. Kaoru nodded to himself, slowing his steps so that he could walk beside him brother.

"It's probably going to be about the incident at Sasori's enterprise," he mumbled. Kamari nodded, reaching up to touch the bandage on his neck where a bullet had scratched him. It hadn't been too deep, thankfully, but still bad enough to get a few stitches. The area was really sensitive too.

Their steps echoed in the otherwise empty space until finally they came to a thick, black metal door. Kaoru raised his arm, knocking heavily four times. A slot opened up and a pair of creepy eyes peered out.

"Ooh, if it isn't the Terrible Two!" a jeering voice said and Kaoru scowled while Kamari just narrowed his eyes slightly. "Well what is it?"

"We got summoned here," Kaoru explained with irritation in his tone. The eyes widened before an amused gleam shone in their tiny-pupil depths.

"A summon eh? My my, what did you do wrong this time?" the voice cheered before the slot was closed and the sounds of heavy locks being removed reached their ears. The twins exchanged nervous glances, Kamari rubbing at his neck once more before Kaoru slapped his hand away with a glare.

"Stop fiddling, you'll pull out the stitches!" he scolded. Kamari chuckled.

"Sorry bro."

The door creaked open, the high pitched squeal making Kaoru wince and cover his right ear.

"Wow thanks, I think my brain combusted," he snarled, glaring at the man standing just inside the door.

Tall and intimidating with eyes wide and round and teeth sharpened dramatically, the man at the door struck fear into the hearts of many. Wearing a mesh vest and baggy pants, it was easy to see the elaborate tattoo of a vicious shark-man riding waves splashed artistically across the man's back, chest, arms and running down beneath his waistline. Hair dyed blue and spiked up, he looked much younger than he was.

A creepy grin curved his face as he surveyed the twins, crossing his muscular arms over his equally muscular chest.

"That would be a blessing to you right now, Little Red," he said and laughed in that strangely mocking voice of his. "The boss is right pissed."

While Kamari gulped nervously, Kaoru only narrowed his eyes.

"Get out of my way, Kisame," he ordered.

"Giving me orders?" the giant asked softly. There was a gleam of metal and Kamari gasped as a blade was suddenly caressing Kaoru's throat. The older twin didn't move but for a widening of his eyes.

Kisame grinned, leaning down slightly. "Let's not forget who hired who in this business, shall we?" he warned, tilting the blade slightly and causing a droplet of crimson blood to stream across its shining surface. "Oh look, it matches your hair. How amusing!"

Drawing back, Kisame slowly wiped his sullied blade across Kaoru's cheek, smearing the tiny drop of blood across his skin and his scars. Sharp green eyes never left his, and Kisame snickered as he slid the blade back into his holster.

"Here's a tip for you, Little Red," he said as he stepped back, allowing them entrance. "Don't show any weakness. He'll strike their first."

A narrow green glare was his answer as the twins walked past and into the large room beyond the metal door.

Most of the front wall was taken up by a giant computer screen that was displaying data and coding at high speed. Lining the walls were consoles and smaller computers, each with its own worker tapping away.

Fluorescent lights were arranged under glass shielding on the floor, lighting up the room from the bottom up and hiding most of the people's faces, illuminating their necks and under their chins instead.

In the centre of the room was a podium, where a man wearing a long black cloak was standing, flipping through a folder lazily.

The twins stepped forward slowly, Kamari making sure to stay close by his brother while Kaoru kept himself in front of his twin, shielding him with his body.

"You summoned us?" he called harshly, staring at the invisible face of their leader.

"Indeed. It has come to my attention that last night...two agents escaped with a very important flash drive. Not only that, but one of the agents was actually injected with the very drug that we have put so much of our time and resources into making."

The folder was slammed closed, the slapping sound echoing in the room and making several workers freeze in fear. Kaoru tensed slightly while Kamari shuffled behind him, his eyes glancing down nervously. Their leader turned his head, his eyes and chin the only things illuminated by the light.

"And it would appear that you two were the last ones to face them and escape with your lives."

Kaoru tilted his head up slightly. "...What of it, sir? We cut the cable car. I thought that the agents would surely die. I didn't know that it was possible for them to escape," he said slowly.

"Oh, I see. Well, you do have a point; the odds were against them." Their leader stepped away from the podium, cold eyes fixed on the two men before him. "And I understand one of you even got injured?"

Kamari placed a hand over the bandage on his neck, his lips thinning out. Their leader chuckled softly, holding out his hand.

"Come here, Kamari. Let me have a look," he ordered in an almost gentle tone.

Kamari started to step forward, the hesitance clear in his movements as he slowly advanced towards the shadowed man. Kaoru was watching him like a hawk, eyes sharp and pupils dilated.

He stood in front the taller male, eyes lowered still. A brush of gloved fingers on his neck made him jump, and a deep chuckle resounded from the shadow before him.

"No need to be so jumpy." The fingers touched the edge of the bandage, lifting it up ever so slightly. "May I?"

Not knowing what else to do, Kamari nodded and winced as the bandage was slowly pulled away from his skin, revealing the red scar with three evenly spaced stitches.

"Oh that looks like it hurt," the leader muttered, clicking his tongue in a sympathetic manner. He tilted Kamari's head to the side slightly, getting a better view. "We wouldn't want something like this to happen again now would we, Kaoru?" he asked, eyes flickering up to the older twin.

Kaoru nodded slowly, eyes trained on the hand holding his brother's face. "No sir..."

Their leader nodded.

"Of course not."

Kamari screamed out, eyes squeezing shut as he felt fingers rip out one of his stitches and dig into the open wound. Blood started to dribble down his skin as he howled in pain, his hands coming up to claw at the shadow's arm in a vain attempt to shove him away. Kaoru jerked forwards, his face paling as he started to run but before he could take more than four steps, the cold bite of metal digging into his skin appeared at his neck.

"Not so fast, Little Red."

Kaoru shook where he stood, a deep growl emitting from the depths of his chest as he glared straight at his leader. Kamari had stopped screaming, his jaw clenched tightly as he fought off pain and passing out. Kisame chuckled in Kaoru's ear, the sound making the growl become louder.

"Since we don't want another injury like this, I'm sure you'll make absolutely certain that you do not fail your next assignment," their leader said coldly.

Kaoru bit his lip, eyes gleaming with hatred. "What assignment?" he snarled and winced when the blade pressed firmly against his throat.

The shadow that was their leader raised his hand, snapping his fingers. A worker who had been watching the scene with glazed eyes turned around and started to type something furiously. The large screen went blank for a moment before a picture of a building appeared with details lining the side.

"Listen carefully, Kaoru. I'm only going to explain this once."

* * *

><p><strong>Tsk, tsk...Poor Kamari.<strong>

**Kamari: Q-Q Why's it always ME?**

**Kaoru: It's not always you...okay well, maybe it is...Whatever, point is, I'm gonna kill Sensei now.**

**Juura: ¬_¬ Yeah yeah, you say that EVERYTIME! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! As always, next week Wednesday is updating day, and if not then, Friday will be the latest! Please leave a review before you go! ^_^ Bye all!**

***Watches all the little Naru's crawling around screen and squeals* AAAAWWWWWW! X3  
><strong>


	9. That Awkward Moment When

**Sorry it's a little late! Time totally slipped past me today! ^^; But anyway, here's the next chapter! (Internally panicking because I'm falling behind on chapters...I've only got a one chapter headstart now...)**

**Uhm, I hope you enjoy!  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Chief Sarutobi sighed deeply as he read over Sasuke's report for the last mission. Everything fell into place but for one piece that was bugging him. Who had helped them? He had a hunch, but he wasn't sure; after all the likelihood of his hunch being true seemed a bit too farfetched, even for him.<p>

"You look troubled," a raspy voice said and Sarutobi looked up and laughed.

"Good Lord man, you walk around like that?" he asked, eyes twinkling in humour.

Orochimaru shrugged, reaching up to adjust one of the bright purple curlers in his hair. "I thought I'd try a new style. It was getting a bit boring, just having it loose," he explained simply as he took a seat. "Now, what's bugging my old teacher?"

Sarutobi leant back in his seat, looking out the large window behind him. "I just...I don't know what move to make next, Orochimaru. Everything is on the line with our success against these people, but they always seem to find their way around us. So far, only Sasuke and Naruto have managed to complete all their missions with success. Neji Hyuuga failed his last mission when he was thrown out of the plane he was sent to commandeer. It's a miracle he survived, but now that's yet another step up this accursed organization has!" the old man groaned, putting his face in his hands. "Sometimes I hate being the Chief."

Orochimaru hummed sympathetically. "Would you like a hug?" he asked sweetly. Sarutobi glared at him through his fingers.

"I'm good, thank you."

"I was just asking. I find hugs to be helpful," Orochimaru chirped. Sarutobi leant back in his seat, narrowing his eyes at the man.

"You seem awfully chipper this morning. Even for you," he added. Orochimaru grinned, pushing himself up from his seat and skipping around to stand beside Sarutobi.

"That might be because I've managed to break down the compound chemicals in the virus to see exactly what it is made of! You know, people find scientifically baffling chemicals in the strangest places!" he commented thoughtfully before a hand grabbed his coat.

"Orochimaru, you need to tell me where all these locations are! If I can send agents there, there is a high chance we can capture someone with useful information, or at the very least prevent them from reaching the resources!" Sarutobi said firmly, shaking the pale man slightly.

Orochimaru smiled again, prying his Chief's hands off his shirt. "Yes, I'm well aware of all that sir. It's why I came to tell you, after all. You didn't think I wandered through the agency with curlers in my hair for fun did you?" he asked.

Sarutobi coughed uncomfortably. "It wouldn't surprise me," he mumbled to himself, avoiding eye contact.

Just then the phone rang, loud and shrill to their ears. The Chief made to grab it, but before he could Orochimaru had yanked it off the hook with an excited laugh.

"It might be my order of Algae Facial Mud!" he said happily before pressing the receiver to his ear, "Hello, pretties?"

Sarutobi's hand twitched over the empty holder while he stared at his subordinate. '_I think all those fumes in the labs has melted his brain...He never used to be so...bubbly!_'

Orochimaru turned, his smile gone. In its place was a serious face, one which Sarutobi remembered seeing in the old days when the man was still an agent.

"Sir...It's Jiraiya," he said slowly. Sarutobi blinked, straightening up.

"What does he want? Does he want Naruto to go back to his agency? I knew the lad was fond of the boy..." he mumbled the last bit but Orochimaru shook his head.

"It does have to do with Uzumaki...but it's not that. Sir," Orochimaru licked his lips, "...Someone bombed Uzumaki's apartment building last night."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto stared at the T.V in horror, his hand over his mouth as the screen showed the wreckage. The remote was held limply in his left hand as he watched the fires burn higher and higher while fire trucks and police cars swarmed the area. The news reporter was rattling on about arsonists or terrorists and how many people were injured and whether or not there were confirmed casualties. Naruto felt sick just watching it.<p>

Sasuke sat beside him, watching the news silently but his eyes continued to dart over to Naruto in concern. They had just woken up a while ago, and while waiting for a nurse or someone to come along, they'd turned on the T.V to see what was up. The moment the channel landed on the news, Naruto was snatching the remote and staring in horror at the screen. Sasuke had eventually gathered that the apartment building that had been bombed...was Naruto's.

"They know who I am," the blond whispered softly, eyes sliding closed. "They know who I am."

Sasuke chewed on his lip unsurely. He'd heard of agents getting targeted in their private life, but he'd never had to experience it. He wondered what would happen now? Would Naruto have to fake a death? Would he have to leave the agency to pretend he was just a citizen? The thought of not having Naruto as a partner hurt more than Sasuke cared to admit to himself, but he knew it was there.

"The Chief will sort something out," he eventually said, reaching over to pat Naruto's shoulder in comfort. The gesture wasn't executed very well, as Naruto winced at the hard slaps but he understood that Sasuke was trying.

"Yeah," he murmured, pressing a channel change to avoid seeing the carnage of his home. Replacing the image of a news reporter was the blurry image of a man and woman rutting fiercely. The volume had been turned up beforehand in order to hear more of the news, and now the small room was filled with the sounds of screeches and grunts and wet slaps that made both men feel slightly ill.

Naruto shifted uncomfortably while Sasuke stared ahead with a blank face. The movie continued, the couple becoming even more passionate.

"Right..." Naruto said awkwardly, slowly reaching up his hand to switch the T.V. Just before he pressed the button, the door swung open and Sakura walked in. She froze, her eyes catching sight of the screen before it powered out and her cheeks flared red when she turned back to the two men.

"O-oh...W-was I interrupting s-something?" she stammered, fiddling with the chart in her hands.

Sasuke simply stared at her, his mind still trying to register the grotesque show he'd just witness while Naruto chuckled, pressing a hand over his eyes.

"Believe me, Ms. Haruno, we were just as surprised as you to witness that," he assured. Sakura nodded slowly, stepping further into the room.

"Well I just have to give you both a check-up to make sure there are no infections or injuries left unattended," she explained as she stepped further into the room. Naruto nodded with a smile, but the usual cheer was gone. He was still worried about his home, the people in his building, and what he would do next.

Sakura smiled back as she started her examinations, making soft commands for him to move or shift or asking him questions. Sasuke watched the process from his seat, his arms crossed as he leant against the wall. Sakura's fingers were trailing over Naruto's neck and face as she searched for something or another and his fist tightened when Naruto chuckled.

"That's a bit of a sensitive spot," he said, rubbing at an area on his neck where Sakura had just felt. She smiled, nodding in understanding and continuing her touching. Sasuke didn't realize he was glaring until she looked up, blinking in surprise.

"Is something wrong, Sasuke?"

His glare increased slightly. "Hn. Hurry up. We have things to do. And it's agent Uchiha," he scowled. Sakura flinched at the harsh tone, but before she could silently continue Naruto was standing up and striding over.

"What the hell is your issue, you jerk?" he hissed, leaning down to glare into Sasuke's eyes.

"Hn." Sasuke couldn't think of an answer to explain it. There was no way he was going to admit that seeing Sakura place her hands all over Naruto's face made him feel a sting of jealousy. He opted to stay quiet and give his best glare.

Naruto did not take kindly to his response, and he yanked on Sasuke's ankle. The raven grunted as he slid from the bed, and he quickly stood straight, shoving Naruto off of him.

Sakura clutched her hands to her chest, looking at the two fearfully. She didn't understand why they were so harsh. Especially Sasuke; she still remembered how kind he'd been when Naruto had been sleeping. His eyes had been warmer, his face more relaxed. Yet now his face was as hard as ever and his eyes were cold and piercing. What had happened?

Her eyes widened and she jerked in place, staring as Naruto started to yell something to Sasuke, watching as Sasuke retorted with a harsh insult. '_...Is he angry...because of me? Because I was touching Naruto? But then...he couldn't...could he?_' she thought, staring at the man she'd admired and loved since a young age. Her gut was telling her one thing, but her heart was telling her another. She decided not to dwell on it, however, when it looked like the fight was escalating.

"Dammit, Uchiha! Would you stop being a complete and utter asshole for one second and actually have a heart! What the fuck is your problem, huh?" Naruto snarled.

Sasuke's scowl was dark and unforgiving. "My problem is the fact that I'm stuck with a stupid, incompetent, talentless loser like you!" he roared.

Naruto's face was like a raging storm, filled with an anger that was frightening to behold. "You ASSHOLE!"

Sakura shrieked in horror as Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm, tugging so hard that an audible click sounded in the room. Sasuke cried out in pain, his shoulder popping out of place. A burning sting spread out from his shoulder and down his arm. Naruto's face went from angry to horrified within a millisecond and he was backing away from Sasuke with wide eyes.

"Sasuke!" Sakura ran over to his side, feeling his shoulder. "Shit, it's dislocated," she said, feebly prodding the swollen area while Sasuke hissed like an angry cat.

Sasuke opened an eye, looking around. He saw Naruto, the blond backing into a wall. Sasuke's eye opened wider as he recognized the look on the blond's face. Fear.

Naruto looked down at his hands, seeing them tremble. He could feel his muscles pulsing under his skin and with a jolt he realized that the virus had activated. He was stronger than ever now and he'd used the strength on Sasuke, intentionally or not. His hand shook worse as he looked up, and Sasuke inhaled sharply at seeing the pain and regret flowing through those blue eyes.

"I...I'm sorry," Naruto said quickly before he turned and ran from the room.

"Wait! Agent Uzumaki!" Sakura called, caught between helping Sasuke or going after her patient. "Dammit!" she said, turning back to the injured man before her. "Okay, I'm going to put it back into place. It's going to hurt, so please just bear with me," she said hurriedly. Sasuke nodded slightly, his eyes staring at the doorway that Naruto had vanished through.

Seconds passed by before Sakura shoved harshly and his shoulder snapped back into place with a crunch. He gasped, clenching his jaw and his fist, head hanging low. Sakura stood by, her hands tenderly pressed against his shoulder to ensure that everything was in its correct place.

"...Thank you," Sasuke mumbled as the pain began to recede. Sakura nodded distractedly, her thoughts now trailing to the escaped agent.

"...You should go after him," she said quietly, causing Sasuke to look up at her. "Naruto, I mean. You should go after him and make sure he doesn't do something silly."

Sasuke continued to stare at her for a moment before he nodded. "Hn."

Sakura smiled slightly, her eyes downcast as she stood in the middle of the room, watching as Sasuke ran out of the room.

'_Don't screw up, Sasuke. I'll kick your ass if you end up falling in love for no reason._'

Sasuke was running down the hall, his bare feet cold on the tile. He turned a corner and bumped into someone, stumbling back.

"What the-Sasuke!" Kakashi looked down at him, his face grave. "I just saw Naruto running through the halls like a madman! What happened?" he asked, taking not of the reddened shoulder and the lingering tinge of pain to onyx eyes.

"We had a fight and he dislocated my shoulder...it seems the virus was activated. H-he was...shocked by what he'd done. He ran off," Sasuke explained in a hurry. Kakashi's eyes widened in understanding.

"Go after him! He's a danger to himself as well as others at this rate!" he ordered, yanking off his jacket and throwing it over Sasuke's shoulders. The raven nodded in understanding, already rushing off and slipping his arms through the sleeves.

'_Dammit Naruto, where'd you go?_'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto was sitting on a swing in an empty park. It was only four streets away from the agency; he could still see the large building clearly against the bright white morning sky. His hands were resting in his lap while he half-heartedly pushed himself with his feet.<p>

Of course, the fact that he was much stronger than usual didn't help, as he was practically moving the entire swing-set across the ground a few inches with every 'light' push.

"I'm like some sort of Tan-Hulk," he mumbled bitterly.

He sighed, closing his eyes and tilting his head towards the sky as he thought of what had transpired moments before. He could hear Sasuke's cry of pain echoing in his mind and his fists clenched tightly.

"Dammit," he hissed, standing up and kicking at a stone nearby. It shot through the air, and Naruto covered his mouth when he saw a window in an office building a block away shatter in the distance.

"Holy shit," he breathed, staring at it in horror. He could only imagine how confused the people were, and he hoped to God he hadn't hit anyone in the head. They probably would've died.

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. He was still dressed in nothing but the blue pants from the agency hospital and his chest and feet were bare as the day he was born. Wondering how much longer he would be a super-freak he turned around.

A wooden plank smashed against his face, splintering in half while he gaped, feeling only a mild pressure but no real pain. He blinked, his eyes moving to the side to see Sasuke standing there, dressed in the same blue pants and a slightly oversized black suit jacket. His hands were clutching the other end of the now broken board, and his eyes stared back at Naruto with a look of light interest. He lowered his arms, tossing the piece of wood to the side before wiping his hands on his jacket and looking back at Naruto.

For a moment the two of them stared at each other before Sasuke smirked.

"That was rather fun," he admitted.

Naruto let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. As if he hadn't just been just been smacked across the face with a wooden board, he ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up more than ever while he glanced at Sasuke from the corner of his eye.

"...How's your shoulder?" he asked softly. Sasuke rolled his shoulder, wincing slightly at the after-sting but he smirked.

"In place, and strong enough to deliver a punch to your jaw once fifteen minutes is up," he assured with a wave of his hand. Despite the promise of punishment, Naruto couldn't help but smile.

"Look, Uchiha, I'm real sorry for-"

"Don't worry about it, loser," Sasuke cut in, shaking his head. "I already knew that you were a clumsy oaf that didn't know his own strength-" Naruto laughed aloud at that, "-besides...I kind of deserved it. I said things that were uncalled for. For that, I...apologize," he finished, avoiding Naruto's surprised eyes.

Silence descended upon them before Naruto chuckled.

"That awkward moment when Sasuke Uchiha says he is sorry," the blond commented and Sasuke didn't bother stopping his chuckle or the roll of his eyes.

"Moron," he sighed. He looked over at Naruto, tilting his head to the side. "You look smaller somehow," he said bluntly. Naruto gaped at him angrily before realization dawned on his face.

"Maybe the virus has gone dormant again!" he said, looking down at his muscles. "Quick! Hit me!"

Sasuke smirked, rearing back his fist and landing a solid punch on Naruto's jaw. The blond yelped, bringing up his hand to clutch at the area.

"That hurt! It hurt! Ha ha! It hurt! Awesome!" he cheered before wincing. "Aah...that really _hurt_!"

Sasuke laughed at his whining, a breath of wind making his bangs flutter. He looked at Naruto, noticing he was still shirtless and shoeless. '_He must be cold._'

"Come on Naruto, let's go back. No doubt Kakashi is going to rip us a new one for our fighting," he said and Naruto groaned.

"Shit," he sighed, wiping at his chin. "Well, can't say we don't deserve it; we got a bit out of line."

Sasuke nodded as they started to walk side by side.

"Hey, what made you so angry anyway? Now I'm asking as a friend," Naruto spoke up as they reached the entrance to the park, pausing.

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably, smoothing down imaginary wrinkles in the jacket he was wearing.

"I...She...Haruno was tickling your neck. It was annoying to watch...It made me uncomfortable," he said lamely. Naruto stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Watching the Nurse give me a check-up was uncomfortable for you?" he repeated, his obvious disbelief shining through his words like a lighthouse on a cold, dark night.

Sasuke scowled, crossing his arms and hoping the blush he could feel forming was just a figment of his imagination.

"Stupid...you guys were acting like...like a couple. It was awkward," he tried while mentally cursing at his pathetic excuses. '_No way in hell I'm telling him I was jealous...because I wasn't!_'

Naruto continued to stare at him blankly before a silly smile came to his face. "Aw, does Sasuke feel left out?" he said in a voice reserved for small, pouting children. Sasuke went red from anger and embarrassment.

"Moron!"

"Does Sasuke want a hug?" Naruto asked, raising his arms. Sasuke batted them away weakly, his shoulder still stinging enough to make him withhold too much movement.

"Naruto, I do not want a hug!" he insisted but it was no use; Naruto was already pulling him into a hug, rubbing his back.

"Don't worry Sasuke! I'm here!" he called in an overly dramatic voice, pretending to smother the other man in affection. After being swung around a few times, Sasuke rolled his eyes and with a heavy sigh, lifted his arms to pat Naruto on the back half-heartedly while the other man laughed at his surrender.

"The power of love always wins!" Naruto joked while Sasuke scoffed.

"You're such an idiot," he informed the blond, who only chuckled at his empty insult.

There was a gasp from nearby. "How indecent!"

Both men broke apart from and turned their heads to see two old women and a young man. Both women looked scandalized, disapproval and disgust clear in their faces while the guy was trying to hold back his laughter.

Sasuke slapped a hand over his eyes in embarrassment while Naruto started to wave his hands.

"N-no wait! Ladies, it's not what you think!" he tried but the women only scoffed and started to stalk away.

"Shameful! You're in public! Have some modesty!" they scolded as they passed while the man simply grinned and held up two fingers in a 'peace' sign.

"Ignore my grandma's; they're old fashioned and senile," he said cheerfully. "Don't let us interrupt you!"

Naruto laughed nervously as the small group continued through the park, the young man throwing a few winks over his shoulder as he continued to laugh. Sasuke counted to eight in his mind before dragging Naruto away from the park.

"Do not speak of this to anyone," he ordered and Naruto just nodded.

"Sure thing. That was majorly awkward," he said. Sasuke nodded.

"We seem to be having a lot of those awkward moments today."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>"Well...this is awkward."<p>

Sasuke almost chuckled at the comment his partner made, but he couldn't take his eyes off of the sight before him.

Orochimaru was smiling at them cheerily, sipping his tea as if nothing was wrong at all. His purple hair curlers were still firmly in place.

"Let me guess...you lost another bet, Inuzuka?" Sasuke guessed, looking at the brunet who was currently carrying a tray while wearing a bow-tie...and a black Speedo.

"Shut it, Uchiha," Kiba grumbled, his cheeks redder than the tattoos residing on them. "But yes."

"Man, why do you make these bets if you keep losing?" Naruto asked, rubbing at his head in confusion. "Surely you'd learn?"

Kiba huffed, placing the tray down. "I just enjoy gambling alright! And I don't always lose!"

Sasuke scoffed while Naruto shrugged, obviously not planning on arguing.

"Well boys, I hope you realize exactly what's happened here," Orochimaru began, placing his empty cup down and motioning for Kiba to refill it. The brunet did so with a very grumpy look on his face, his eyes daring either of the agents to make a comment when Orochimaru gave him a creepy smile.

Sasuke sighed internally. He wondered what their punishment for fighting would be. Would Kakashi take them off the mission? He had threatened before that he would, after all.

"Kakashi and the Chief, as well as myself, have discussed matters with careful consideration. And we have come to a decision," Orochimaru continued, leaning forward and observing the boys seriously.

Naruto looked ashamed and resigned, his hands clasped together in front of him while Sasuke had his folded across his chest. They waited in tense silence, wondering what the verdict was.

"We have decided that you two will take two days off to recuperate in the comfort of Sasuke's home while we sort out this whole bombing mess alongside Agent Uzumaki's agency. Once we have that little mess sorted, you two will be sent out on missions again, possibly more dangerous than any before. We are closing in on the enemy, and all agents are being utilized. But you two are our main players. Try not to end up putting each other in a coma while you're away!" Orochimaru said with a wave of his hand.

For a moment the only sounds that could be heard was Kiba as he made Orochimaru's tea, the clinking of the spoon like a clap of thunder.

"...I'm sorry; I blanked out for a moment. Exactly where will we be staying?" Sasuke asked, looking at the freaky doctor.

Orochimaru smiled. "You'll both be staying at your home, Sasuke."

Sasuke stared at him before turning to Naruto. "I must've blanked out again. Where are _you_ staying, exactly?" he asked. Naruto eyed him nervously.

"Er...your place?" he said slowly, stepping away and hoping Sasuke wasn't going to attack him.

Sasuke continued to stare around the room as if he were lost, his eyes not quite focused. Naruto frowned, waving a hand in front of him.

"Hey, Sasuke! You still in there, man?" he called, prodding the Uchiha's cheek. The blank look was replaced with a displeased frown.

"Hn," he grunted, crossing his arms. "Fine. So when are we leaving?" he asked edgily. Orochimaru clapped his hands together, standing up. Both agents cried out, covering their eyes in horror.

"Holy shit, my eyes!" Naruto cried, rubbing their fiercely before glaring through his fingers at Orochimaru. "What is wrong with you?" he asked.

Orochimaru placed his hands on his hips, looking indignant. "What? It's comfortable!" he defended.

Sasuke peered through his fingers before turning away again, gagging. '_My God...it's purple and furry!'_ he thought in horror.

Naruto turned, no longer wanting to see the terror that Orochimaru was wearing under his white lab coat. "L-let's just go!" he pleaded, backing out of the room with Sasuke right on his tail. Orochimaru huffed.

"Those two just can't appreciate a good pair of panties when they see one!" he said disapprovingly. He turned to Kiba. "Right, Kiba?"

Kiba simply shook his head, refusing to move his eyes from the cup of tea he was tending to. '_No more. No more bets! Naruto was right, this is the last time! Oh God, he's coming towards me!_'

Naruto sighed as he pulled his shirt over his head. Practically all of his clothes and belongings were gone now, so he only had one outfit left. He would have to go shopping sometime to get more. Picking at the fabric of his faded orange shirt, he turned to see if Sasuke was finished. The Uchiha was clipping his belt into place, his blue shirt in place and his shoes waiting to be slipped on. The blond walked over, sliding his own belt through his hands.

"So Sasuke," he began, watching as the other bent down to put his shoes on, "what's your house like?"

Sasuke didn't look up but Naruto saw how his shoulders tensed ever so slightly. "Hn. You'll see when we get there," he replied simply.

Naruto raised a brow. "Is there something wrong? You seem to be really reluctant about me going to your home," he said, folding his arms behind his head and regarding the man with a little look of apprehension. "...If it's a problem I...I could find somewhere else to stay for two days. Like, my old friend might have a place for me," he trailed off, a look of dejection on his face.

Sasuke paused, looking up. It wasn't that he didn't want to offer Naruto a place to stay. If he stopped lying to himself, he would admit that he was a little too eager to share a place with Naruto for two days. But he didn't really want to tell Naruto the real reason he didn't want to go home. He felt the blond would see him as a weakling; a coward.

Sasuke wouldn't allow it.

"Hn. It's fine. At least if you're with me, I can make sure you don't kill yourself in the shower or something," he said dismissively. Naruto chuckled, relief passing over his face.

"Awesome," he chirped and Sasuke smirked before standing as a knock on the door sounded.

"Agents, your ride is here!" Kiba called through the wood.

"Hn. We're on our way," Sasuke called back, turning around. He let out a yelp when something snapped against his butt and he spun around, clutching his rear and glaring at the blond now flexing the belt in his hands.

"Heh, sorry. I just couldn't resist!" Naruto laughed. He blinked when the belt was suddenly pulled from his hands and he let out a loud yell when Sasuke wrapped it around his wrist and twisted his arm back. "Ah! Okay, okay! Sorry!" he cried, trying to get out of the uncomfortable hold.

Sasuke smirked in triumph, letting go of the belt and stepping past Naruto while he slid his hands into his pockets.

"Hn. Dumbass."

"Asshole!" Naruto called after him, but the smile on his face took away any malice in the word.

**~ADB~**

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><p>Sasuke looked up at his apartment building with a face devoid of emotion. He was lost in thought and memories, his hands hanging loosely at his sides while he stared upwards. Naruto was pulling Sasuke's rucksack from the back of the inconspicuous blue Golf waiting outside the apartment. Kiba was behind the wheel, thankfully dressed in a normal grey shirt and blue jeans with some sunglasses and a cap. He looked like the average twenty year old and not some sleazy old pervert's sex toy like earlier; a fact that all three men in the car had been very grateful for.<p>

Walking up behind the motionless raven, Naruto glanced over to him and then the ordinary looking building before him. He looked between them again before turning to look back at Kiba. He motioned to Sasuke with his hand and mouthed 'what's wrong with him' to the brunet. Kiba leaned his head out the window, using a finger to push his shades down a fraction to peer at Sasuke over the top. He frowned, his canine tooth poking out from his lip before he looked at Naruto and shrugged.

"I don't know!" he whispered back, leaning on the door. "Just...tap him or something?" he suggested before sliding back into his seat and starting the car.

Naruto watched as the brunet drove off before turning back to Sasuke. He looked down at the rucksack in his hand and back to the raven who was still staring into space. With only about ten seconds to think about it, he gave a light shrug and swung the bag.

Sasuke was forcibly pulled from his thoughts when he toppled forwards from a strong blow from behind. Immediately reacting and flipping over, he turned to Naruto with an angry snarl.

"What the hell are you doing?" he growled. Naruto smiled innocently, the rucksack swinging in his hand.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" he sang, laughing when Sasuke gave him a punch to the arm. "Alright, sorry! But seriously, you were just standing there staring at the building like a freak. So let's go in shall we?" he said, nodding towards the building.

Sasuke sighed, wiping a hand over his face. He took the rucksack and slung it over his shoulder, leading the way towards the building and through the doors. The man sitting behind a counter wearing large headphones and a grey ski-cap looked up, his dusty brown hair hanging in his eyes. He was chewing on a piece of dried meat and reached up to pull a headphone down. Heavy music could be heard playing from the revealed speaker.

"Yo, Uchiha!" he called, leaning on the counter. "It's been a while since I last saw you! Look, I don't want to bother you when you just got home from your trip n' all, but you need to pay the rent on your place! Also the hot water was turned off, but it should come back on in an hour or so!" he said apologetically.

Naruto blinked, turning to look at Sasuke as the raven sighed. "...He thought you were on a trip?" he whispered, his eyes demanding an answer. Sasuke glared at him.

"I had a lot of missions to do even before this new organization appeared okay? So yes, I told him I was going to Brazil for a while."

Naruto leant back, nodding. "Oh, okay then."

The man behind the counter tilted his head and Naruto found it creepy how he still couldn't see his eyes. He liked being able to make eye contact; it created some kind of trust bond, showing someone your eyes without fear. Even though he doubted his man had something fearful up his sleeve, he still didn't like being unable to make sure. The man continued to peer at him with invisible eyes before nodding towards Naruto.

"Who's that you got there with you, Uchiha? Never seen him before," he noted.

"It's a...friend," Sasuke said dismissively, walking towards the elevators and motioning for Naruto to follow. "And I'll have the rent to you by the end of the day," he added. The man behind the counter nodded, cracking a smile.

"Good to know," he said. A shrill ring sounded to his left and he jumped a foot in the air, arms waving madly. Naruto cracked up laughing as he stood by the elevator with Sasuke, waiting for it to reach them. The man behind the counter chuckled sheepishly, pulling the phone off the hook and pressing it up to his uncovered ear.

"This is Stone speaking!" he greeted, pausing for a moment before continuing. "Hey! If it isn't my best buddy, Mr. K! It's been a while since you called! How's your double doing? Still mellow and yellow compared to your crazy ass?" he began to harp on happily, leaning back in his chair.

Naruto smiled as he turned to Sasuke when the elevator doors slid open. "Your landlord seems nice," he said conversationally. Sasuke grunted.

"He's not my landlord, he's just the guy left to do the landlords duty. The landlord is some old man who lives in Spain," he said monotonously as they waited to arrive on the third floor. Naruto nodded in understanding as the doors dinged and slid open. Sasuke led the way down the hallway, pulling out his apartment keys and playing with the absently.

They arrived outside apartment thirteen and Sasuke stood before the door, staring at it intently. Naruto stood behind him, fiddling with his fingers as he waited for Sasuke to do something.

"So...not to be brash but I kind of need to shower?" he hinted meaningfully and Sasuke growled in his throat as he slid the key into the lock and turned. He pushed through the door and stormed in while Naruto followed slowly behind, carefully closing the door behind him.

He followed Sasuke down the short hall and into the living room that doubled as a kitchen. He looked around, noting the dusty interior that showed just how long Sasuke had been absent. There were the usual things one would expect in an apartment; a small T.V with a few DVDs on a stand, a stereo with several CDs and records to the other side, a couch and coffee table in the centre on a light blue rug covering the wooden floor. Naruto shoved his hands into his pockets as he observed the home he would be staying in for two days.

"Nice place," he mumbled. It was a simple home but still a comfortable place. The only thing missing was colour. Sasuke seemed to have chosen a bland theme of blue, white and grey. Naruto had always been a colourful person, not only in language but in lifestyle too. His own apartment had been a bright blur of colours that he assembled together, uncaring about style and panache and only wanting to see the vibrancy that the world had to offer in the simplest of forms that was home decoration. He was pleased to note that at least there were pictures on the walls. He turned to speak to Sasuke about the lack of brightness when he froze.

Sasuke stood near the opposite wall, his eyes glued to the largest picture hung upon the wall. It showed a large family, all with raven hair and pale skin. Naruto didn't need to think hard to figure it was a family portrait. He stepped closer, observing the portrait that showed a man and woman at the very front with two young boys before them, one obviously older than the other. Naruto was about to comment, turning to Sasuke when he was once again rendered speechless.

Sasuke's face was flashing with various emotions; pain and anger being the most noticeable. Naruto closed his mouth, looking at him silently.

'_That expression...I can only make assumptions but,_' he turned to peer at the portrait again, '_That is Sasuke family...and they're no longer as wholesome as they used to be. Death is most likely, but I can't rule out family feuding yet,'_ he thought, stepping back when Sasuke seemed to jolt out of his reverie.

"Hn." Sasuke reached up, grabbing the frame and turning it right around so that the smiling faces were hidden from view. He turned to Naruto, his eyes daring him to comment or question but the blond only blinked at him blankly before turning away.

"I imagine the bathroom is down that hall," he said and walked away. Sasuke watched him go and felt a sense of relief wash over him. Naruto wasn't going to question his actions, nor say anything about the portrait. He hadn't wanted to go into the story behind it, and had feared that Naruto would pry and question as seemed his nature. Yet he didn't, as if he knew Sasuke didn't want that.

'_Thank you, Naruto._'

He set his rucksack down, and moved over to the couch, sinking into its cushions with a tired sigh. His eyes slid closed and he allowed his muscles to relax; something that he hadn't done in his home for years.

Before he could truly get into any form of peace, he heard Naruto shout incomprehensibly and shot up, turning his head in time to see Naruto run into the living room in nothing but a towel, his hair sopping wet along with a lot of his body. He skidded to a stop in front of Sasuke, who pointedly averted his eyes from the slight opening in the towel near Naruto's thigh. Raising an irritated eyebrow in question he waited while Naruto ran a hand through his hair.

"The water's freezing and you have a cockroach infestation in your toilet," he explained, waving his hand towards the bathroom.

Sasuke stared at him for a moment, letting the words register in his mind before he threw his head back and groaned loudly.

"Great."

**~ADB~**

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><p><strong>Well, I hope you all enjoyed it! ^_^ ...(no, I seriously do, becuase the next update might not come on time since I want to get my headstart back ._.)<strong>

**Anyway, remember to leave a review to let me know what you all thought! ^_^ I'll try to work hard on getting back my headstart so that you're updates won't be delayed but yeah... (._.) -praying for safety from readers-**


	10. A Day Off

**Hey guys... Uhm, well here's the next chapter. I like this chapter, I like the way it runs...uhm...**

**Yeah, sorry I'm not very...typetive? Yeah, typetive today...There's some hectic shit happening. I just wanna let you all know that I might not be able to use the internet. I don't know for sure, nothing might happen but just in case...Sorry. :/ I'll of course try to update if things do go wrong but if not then yay, regularity for the win, right? **

**Anyway, without further ado, I bring you chapter 10 of ADB!  
><strong>

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><p>Sasuke sighed as he stood by the checkout counter at the small supermarket down the street from his apartment. The cashier was taking her time, ringing up his items with a dead look in her eye as if she had done this for so long all her excitement and life had been drained out and shoved into the bags she packed people's purchases in, sealed with the compulsory farewell of 'Have a nice day'.<p>

Only five minutes before, he had been in his apartment, trying valiantly to kill the roaches that laid claim to his toilet bowl. When Naruto had said he had an infestation, he had made an understatement. Sasuke had walked into his bathroom and literally ran straight back out batting roaches off his shoes and lower legs. They had locked the door and agreed that neither of them would use the bathroom until Sasuke had returned from his trip to the store with about ten cans of Roach-Kill.

Sasuke had checked his fridge before leaving and decided he needed to go grocery shopping too. Since they were going to be home for about two days they needed food. He had left Naruto at his apartment with simple instructions.

"Don't touch my shit, don't move my shit, don't breathe on my shit, and finally, don't die."

Naruto had insisted there was a contradiction in his instructions but Sasuke had simply walked out, locking the door behind him. He wasn't stupid. He knew that when he came home, his entire apartment was going to be turned upside down just because he gave those orders.

He leant against the counter, deciding not to dwell on the mess he was undoubtedly going to face and instead settled for glaring at the ancient cashier who seemed to have fallen asleep with her eyes open while her hand repeatedly scanned his tin of tomato paste.

**~ADB~**

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><p>Naruto had honestly given Sasuke's instructions some serious consideration...for about three seconds. Deciding that A: Sasuke was a dick and B: He was bored; he had begun to explore the small home. He avoided the bathroom, of course.<p>

Sasuke's bedroom had proven to be just as bland as the rest of the apartment, which Naruto found greatly disappointing. He had been hoping for some kind of distinguishing mark to differentiate this room from the others but no, Sasuke kept all his rooms barer than bone when it came to decorations.

He frowned, deciding that the room needed some sort of proof that it was even lived in. He took three steps back before running and leaping through the air, landing on the bed. It was soft and bouncy and he grinned as he was launched back into the air for a few seconds before coming to a spongy stop in the middle of the bed. Turning over, he did his best to make the sheets and blankets as muddled and ruffled as possible. Feeling satisfied, he jumped off the bed and placed his hands on his hips, laughing like an evil villain in an old move after taking in the damage he'd done.

"What else can I mess with?" he wondered, walking through to a spare room. It looked like it was a study, so he scanned the bookshelves with interest. Many of the books were things from the agency; textbooks given to agents in training. He slipped out the one that was about signals and sign language and flipped it open to the front page. His eyes caught sight of the date it was handed out and he gasped.

"Shit, he's been doing this since he was fifteen?" Naruto asked, eyes staring at the printed number in awe. "Whoa...He's an old guy!" he joked

He continued to scan through several books before finally deciding that he was bored with this room. Aside from the bookshelves, a desk and a laptop, there wasn't anything-

"Why _helloooo_, my little black-book of dirty secrets!" Naruto sang, sliding across the floor and sitting in front of the laptop, his eyes glinting evilly. "What deep, dark treasures do you hold?"

He flipped open the screen and pressed the power button, waiting for it to light up. Whistling a random tune to himself, he crossed his arms and waited for it to load, wondering what he would find on the digital diary. The screen lit up and he let his arms fall, glaring at the small box asking for a password.

"Figures," he muttered as he flexed his fingers. '_Okay, let's see...Sasuke Uchiha,_' he thought, typing it up.

"Denied, huh? Well, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't have been annoyed that it was that easy!" he chirped, typing in as many things as he could think of relating to the Uchiha. He typed his name various ways, tried anagrams and even put down his date of birth a few times in random order. Tapping his fingers to his chin in thought, he looked around for something to give him a clue.

Suddenly he remembered their missions together. He had noticed something odd about the Uchiha, something he'd never questioned since he assumed it was just a quirk.

Shrugging and deciding he had nothing to lose, he typed in his answer.

The screen began to load before a 'Welcome' lit up as the screen brightened.

Naruto stared at the screen, trying to register what had happened. He hadn't honestly believed that _that_ was the password, but now that he thought of it he realized it was rather good. It was so odd, so simple and seemingly non-password material that it would be hard to guess.

Naruto thought about it for a moment before deciding that he would inquire over the password to Sasuke when the raven got back. Sure, he would be admitting that he went on his laptop, but he already knew that Sasuke would know anyway. Why put off something that was inevitable?

Putting aside the curiosity, he scanned the desktop. There were folder he expected relating to work, such as mission reports and such but Naruto had no interest in that. He clicked on the internet browser and immediately went through the history.

"Come on Uchiha, what porn sites have you visited?" he whispered slyly, eyes scanning the list for a form of blackmail. But there were none to behold. There were websites for various weaponry, chemicals, how-to-make-your-own-disintegration-rays and such but Naruto was already used to that. He'd visited those sites himself after all.

His eyelids began to droop in boredom as he continued to see nothing but websites that were practically compulsory for agents to search for.

He found nothing and growled.

"Damn that squeaky clean bastard," he mumbled, leaning back. A wicked idea came to him and he sat up, typing up something in the search bar. Scrolling down, he found a suitable site and clicked on it.

With some tinkering he managed to get the computer to automatically come to the site at the next activation and to auto play whatever might be there. Smiling like a contented devil, he shut down the browser and was about to shut down the entire laptop when a folder caught his eye. It was in the corner, and was hidden quite well due to the background. The colour of the folder blended with the picture behind it. It was hard to see.

"Oh ho ho! I spy with my little-agent eyes, something pretty suspicious!" he sang happily, clicking on the folder. His smile faded slowly when he noticed it was a collection of newspaper clippings downloaded from the internet. He sighed. "This guy takes his work home with him. Shit."

Out of curiosity to see what mission Sasuke had taken home, he clicked on the first image. A blown up image of a newspaper article met him and he began to read.

_The public is shocked by the sudden murder of the large and wealthy family that took place last night at approximately 1200 hours. The police have not given any comments to the public on the incident other than that the culprit behind the murders is still unknown and possibly at large. Citizens are urged to stay indoors after dark and be extremely cautious until more us revealed. The Uchiha family was well known among the neighbourhood, and their sudden deaths came as a great shock to all. Rumours are going around that there were no survivors, but the coroner has yet to find the body of their eight year old son, Sasuke Uchiha, suggesting that kidnapping is not entirely ruled out-_

Naruto closed the window and then proceeded to shut down the laptop. When it had powered down, he let his head fall until it banged harshly on the table. He repeated the action several times until he was sure there was a bruise on his head.

His gut was wrenching guiltily and he had never before felt so...wrong. That report had been about Sasuke's family. Or more specifically, the _murder_ of his family. It was something so private, so devastating and undoubtedly extremely important to the man and he had gone and snooped around like it was a good joke.

But what bothered him the most were the thoughts plaguing him now. He imagined a small boy with black hair styled like the backside of a duck, with wide black eyes, standing in front of a group of dead bodies. The pain, anguish and absolute terror that Sasuke must have felt in the moment he found his family dead...Naruto couldn't even begin to imagine it.

His head slid to the side and he stared out blankly. He wondered if Sasuke had been kidnapped and then assumed dead. Obviously it wasn't the same now...or was it? He hadn't quite looked at the place the newspaper came from. Perhaps it was from a different area? He knew that many agents came from different places, often deciding to 'die' in their old life so as to avoid having trouble with their life as an agent. But Sasuke hadn't changed his name when starting his life here. It was quite baffling. There were questions swimming in his mind now, but he wasn't sure it would be wise to ask Sasuke directly. The man would undoubtedly become enraged that Naruto had poked his nose in such a private part of his life.

"Dammit!" he snapped to himself, pushing away from the desk and leaving the room. He needed to distract himself somehow and get those thoughts out of his mind.

Entering the living room again, he stopped and looked around. Now that he actually focused, he could see how dirty the place was. Dust coated most of the furniture and the floor looked like it could use a good scrub. Deciding he had nothing better to do, Naruto searched for a broom, a mop and a bucket. He found them and stomped his way into the living room after filling the bucket with water. Before setting to work, he gazed at the large stereo and decided he didn't want to work in silence.

His fingers gently slid over the CD cases until one caught his eye. Sliding it out, he peered at it.

"Greatest Rock Songs of All Time?" he mumbled. After a moment he shrugged and slid the disc into the player. "Let's just have a listen!" he said cheerily as the first song began and he started to sweep the floor.

**~ADB~**

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><p>Sasuke lazily slid his key into the lock, his other hand holding the grocery bags tightly. He opened his door and blinked when music blasted into his ears the moment it swung open. Wincing at the loud volume, he quickly stepped in and shut the door, hoping that none of his neighbours were going to complain.<p>

'_What is that moron doing now?_' he thought in annoyance, putting the bags by the door and stalking his way down the short hall. He turned into the living room and froze in the archway, his body instinctively hiding behind the wall so that he was peeking out.

Naruto was standing on his couch, holding what looked to be his broom up in the air like it was a guitar. His eyes were closed as he loudly sang along with the song Sweet Child O Mine, moving his arm in wide circles as if he were an expert guitar player. His hips moved with the song as he danced on Sasuke's couch, the springs creaking angrily beneath his feet.

Sasuke stared at the scene with eyes as wide as saucers, not quite believing what he was seeing. Naruto jumped off the couch, slamming the broom down before he spun on the spot and grabbed it again. He began to moonwalk, sweeping along the floor as he did so. He walked straight past the archway where Sasuke was watching him incredulously and spun around again, lifting up the broom to 'play' the guitar solo. He came to a stop, letting the broom go where it bounced to a stand beside the couch. The blond then proceeded to dance, wiggling his hips and moving his hands around while he sang along.

Sasuke stood still, watching as finally the song came to an end and Naruto did a rather dramatic power slide until he was practically at Sasuke's feet. His eyes opened and his grin froze on his tan face as he stared up at Sasuke with wide eyes. A blush was already working its way up onto his cheeks while his grin faded into a look of utter mortification.

Sasuke blinked and opened his mouth. "...What, in the name of God, are you _doing_?" he strained out. Naruto swallowed thickly, glancing back at the broom and the stereo that was now playing Smells Like Teen Spirit.

"Well...you see...I, uh..." he trailed off, not sure how to save himself from embarrassment. Sasuke's eyebrows rose, his expression still one of bewilderment. Naruto finally rubbed the back of his head. "I was cleaning?"

Sasuke didn't know when it began, but his next conscious realization was that he was on the floor, laughing like an absolute lunatic while Naruto sat nearby, red in the face and looking like he would love nothing more than for the world to swallow him whole at the moment.

"It's not funny you asshole!"

Sasuke couldn't even give him an answer; he was just laughing so hard that it actually hurt his stomach and he clutched it in a vain attempt to ease the pain. His other hand came forward to beat at the ground as he tried to desperately reign in control of his sanity.

Naruto crossed his arms, looking away and frowning unhappily. Internally, however, he was quite pleased with the fact that he had gotten Sasuke to laugh so much. Sure, he was mortified beyond belief, but somehow seeing Sasuke laugh like a happy kid made it somewhat worthwhile. But only somewhat.

Finally it seemed that Sasuke was calming down. He was still on his knees and clutching his stomach, but the shakes and heaving laughs were dying down into low chuckles and long sighs. He sat back on his haunches and reached up, wiping at the corner of his eyes. He was only slightly surprised to find a small tear. He hadn't laughed that hard in his life before and he found that it was actually...enjoyable.

"Wow," he sighed, his lips still upturned in amusement. He looked over at Naruto, who was still blushing, and a fresh wave of snickers burst from his lips. "Nice dancing, Naruto."

Naruto huffed, punching Sasuke in the shoulder and grinning when the man fell to his backside.

"Shut up. I was bored and lonely because you left me all on my own like the terrible host you are!" he argued playfully, jabbing at Sasuke's side. Sasuke slapped his hand away, snorting and rolling his eyes.

"I went to get food for the both of us. How is that being a bad host?" he asked as he climbed to his feet. He went to retrieve the bags of groceries, pulling them through to the kitchen. Naruto climbed to his feet, walking after the man into the kitchen. He helped him pull out all the food and pack it away in its proper place before dusting his hands.

"So, what's for lunch?" he asked with a grin.

Sasuke snorted again, shaking his head and muttering a soft 'moron' that came out a lot warmer than he cared to admit.

They made lunch together, during which Sasuke was surprised to find that Naruto was decent in the kitchen. The man was no five star chef, but at least he didn't burn anything. Sasuke wasn't much of a kitchen-person himself, so their lunch wasn't some delicious gourmet meal that would reduce both of them to a puddle of well-fed goop.

Sasuke wasn't even sure toasted ham, cheese and tomato sandwiches with a side of fries could do that, no matter _who_ the chef was.

Naruto took a bite out of his sandwich, watching as Sasuke waited for eight seconds before digging into his own meal. He swallowed his bit and cleared his throat.

"Why do you do that?"

Sasuke looked up, his teeth clamped down in his sandwich.

"Hm?" he asked through the bread, blinking at Naruto.

"That whole eight-second thing?" the blond elaborated and Sasuke involuntarily dropped his sandwich. It hung from his mouth, his teeth not having quite bitten through completely. He was surprised that Naruto had picked up on that little habit of his. Only the Chief and Kakashi had ever picked it up, and even then they hadn't questioned it, just pointed it out.

"Hn..." he reached up, grabbing his sandwich and tearing through the bread. Naruto watched him patiently while he chewed his food until he swallowed. "It's...just a habit."

"Yeah, I get that. I'm just asking where it came from. Why eight seconds instead of ten? I know of agents who have a sort of intermission time they stick to. It's the time they use before doing various things, whether to prepare themselves or just relax and accept what's happening," Naruto continued, probing further. He leant forward, sticking a fry into his mouth and chewing on it thoughtfully.

Sasuke nibbled on the corner of his sandwich, wondering if he could be bothered to explain it to Naruto. Deciding that there was no real harm behind it he sighed.

"When I was younger, I had an older brother," he said slowly and the tone of his voice warned Naruto not to say a word of his family. The blond nodded in understanding and waved his hand for Sasuke to continue. "He was always better at everything, though it was to be expected. He was the oldest after all. One day I noticed that he took a ten second interval before he did some things. It was his intermission time. I also had my own intermission time, but I decided to make it shorter than his. It was a childish idea, one which I've never quite gotten over. I got into the habit of an eight second interval and it's never gone away. I don't see any reason to change it," he finished, taking another bite of his sandwich.

Naruto nodded slowly, sliding another fry into his mouth. "Hm. Interesting." He looked over at Sasuke, trying to think of something he could share so that Sasuke wasn't alone in talking about habits. "I have a habit of waiting five seconds before I take a shit."

Sasuke sighed and dropped his sandwich, hitting his head against the table. "I hate you."

Naruto just laughed.

**~ADB~**

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><p>Crystalline eyes surveyed the options presented to them with an intensity that screamed how severe the situation was. His silence was heavy as he contemplated his options, knowing that so much depended on this choice. There were risks here, and important things were at stake if he made the wrong choice.<p>

"Moron, it's not that hard. Just pick one for crying out loud!" Sasuke said exasperatedly, tapping his foot against the linoleum floor.

"It's not that simple, bastard!" Naruto argued, straightening up. "If I choose the wrong colour, not only will my hard earned money go to waste but my reputation will be shot and I will lose points with the ladies wherever I go!" he insisted, pulling out the orange shirt on the rack before him. "I think this one will be the better option! It's got a nice logo on it!" he said sagely.

Sasuke shook his head. "What are you, a fashion guru?" he asked mockingly. Naruto glared at him for a minute before he began to laugh aloud, surprising Sasuke.

"You're right; I'm being weird aren't I? It's just a shirt. And I've got money to spare," he reasoned, hanging the shirt over his arm. "Well, let's go. I just need some jeans and shit, and then I'll have enough clothes to start my wardrobe again!"

Sasuke nodded, walking along behind Naruto as they manoeuvred through the busy store. It was getting close to closing time, so they needed to hurry and pay for their items. Naruto rushed up ahead, managing to get ahead of a crowd of girls. Sasuke cursed when he was forced to stop and wait for the slow kids to move. They were giggling and talking animatedly as they slowly ambled through the store with many bags of clothes. Sasuke crossed his arms, scowling impatiently as they took their time.

When they had finally moved out of the way he rushed by only to stop and curse. He'd lost sight of Naruto and this store was huge and unfamiliar. They'd gone to one that Naruto frequented and Sasuke had never been there before in his life. He sighed, not looking forward to having to trudge through the place until he either found the exit or his idiotic partner.

He began to weave through the tall aisles of clothing, keeping his eyes peeled.

'_What the-_' he turned sharply, his eyes scanning the area. He could've sworn he saw someone he knew.

'_It's not possible._'

He jogged down the aisle, his pulse beating erratically at the thought. He turned, his head swivelling every which way.

'_He was...was he? No, it's not possible. I was just seeing things!_' he thought, placing a hand on the side of his head as if to calm his frantic mind that it was hallucinating. "I guess I need to get more sleep—"

Someone grabbed his shoulder and Sasuke reacted on instinct. He reached back, grabbing their arm and pulling them forward, using his weight to throw them over his shoulder. The person let out a yell and only just managed to set their feet down before they could hit the floor and Sasuke blinked.

Naruto glared up at him, his nose scrunched in anger. "Seriously man! I can't ever walk up to you without you flipping out and pulling some Judo on me or something?" he snapped. Sasuke stared at him for a moment before released a breath. He carefully pulled Naruto back up. For a brief moment, the blond's back was to his chest and his hand was still wrapped around Naruto's wrist. It was almost as if they were dancing.

However, Naruto pulled away, and Sasuke let his grip fall.

"Sorry Uzumaki. I thought I saw someone...but it was just my imagination. I'm a little on edge," Sasuke explained quietly, his eyes scanning the area. Naruto relaxed at the explanation, gaining a sympathetic look.

"Ah, it's fine I guess. I can understand. With everything that's been going on with this new organization and all the missions; it gets stressful," he said, crossing his arms. It was then that Sasuke noticed the shopping bags and he placed his own hands in his pockets.

"So you're done?" he asked, nodding towards the bag. Naruto nodded, walking towards the exit while Sasuke followed along.

"Hey, Sasuke, since we're out and about how about we go eat something?" Naruto asked with a grin. Sasuke sent him an incredulous look as they stepped out of the store.

"Already? We ate not too long ago!" he said and Naruto laughed heartily.

"Yeah, but I get hungry really quickly! Come on, I know a nice little place that does food from various different countries! Have you ever tried ramen? It's really good!" Naruto chatted heartily as they walked through the cobblestone streets that crossed the shopping district they were in. Most of the shops were closing but all the restaurants were still open and running, welcoming the evening customers with a relish that could only be attained through the excitement of a night out.

Naruto cut himself off in the middle of a sentence when the sun finally set and the nightlights of the shopping district lit up. The two men paused to watch as the various signs lit up, torches were lit along railings and street lamps cast their warm yellow glow in wide circles upon the sidewalk. The sound of birds finding their spots to rest for the night could be heard as well as the call of crickets in the nearby bushes and parks.

"It's kind of pretty to look at, isn't it?" Naruto asked, looking at the colours the lights were shining upon the floor. Sasuke nodded, brushing his bangs back.

"Yeah. Although, this area hasn't really got the best light show. There's actually a place where things really look magical around here," he noted. Naruto turned to him with a questioning look and Sasuke found himself smiling.

"Come on, I'll show you," he murmured, walking ahead.

He led the way down the street, turning into a path that led them through a park square in the very middle of the shopping district. A large fountain was stationed in the middle, its water flowing in elegant streams down a statue of a beautiful woman in a flowing dress holding a gourd while flowers were engraved around her feet. There were tall lamps surrounding the square, and strings of lights were set up between them and leading to the fountain, intertwining with the woman's hands and the gourd. The lights reflected off the water, making it shine like a golden river accentuated with the white sparkles of stars overhead. Trees surrounded the path and they could hear the sounds of night birds rustling through the branches as they prepared to hunt for food. The crickets were chirping loudly, mixing in with the faint melody coming from a cafe that was just out of sight between the trees to the right.

Naruto stared at the fountain with wide eyes, his mouth open in pure amazement while Sasuke stood next to him, admiring the spectacle with a content smile.

"I've never been here before!" Naruto exclaimed, looking around. "I've come here to shop for various things, but I've never bothered to go through the park before! This...this is amazing Sasuke!"

Sasuke nodded in agreement. "When I was younger and I came here with my mother for shopping trips, we always used to cut through the park. Then once, when I was older, I came here on my own at night. It was the first time I'd ever truly realized the beauty of this place when it's under the night's blanket."

Naruto listened to him talk, the two of them moving to sit on the edge of the fountain. He lowered his eyes, dipping a hand into the cold water and watching as it flowed from his hand like melted gold.

"...Was that after your family died?" he asked softly before slapping a hand over his mouth at the slip. He turned to stare at Sasuke, his eyes wide and guilty. Sasuke was staring at him with something akin to surprise and disbelief. But the look died down slightly and was replaced with a faint shade of resignation.

"...Yeah. How much do you know about it?" he asked just as softly and Naruto lowered his hand, looking away with a guilty frown.

"Well...honestly not all that much. I know that they were found dead...and that you disappeared. And that it happened when you were eight," he confessed. Sasuke nodded slowly.

"Well, that's what the newspapers reported," he replied, turning to look out at the darkened trees. "And it's pretty much as they say. My family was found dead. However, I wasn't kidnapped," he looked towards the sky, his eyes glazing over with the memory.

Naruto watched with an interest that was both hesitant and rapt, and he dropped his bag of clothes to rest his arms on his knees.

"A few days before the murder, my mother and father told me that I was going to be going into a special line of work when I was older. They were going to send me away for training."

Naruto stared at him, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Then it clicked and he sat straight.

"You were training to be an agent at eight years old?" he almost yelled. Sasuke smirked.

"That was the original plan. My father used to be an agent. It was actually through his work that he met my mother. She was working for another agency at the time. They knew the Chief well, and they had arranged that I be trained by the top agent in the agency." Sasuke turned to Naruto with a grin. "Guess who my teacher was?"

Naruto rubbed his chin. "It wasn't the chief...sooo," he closed his eyes. After a moment he opened them. "Orochimaru?"

Sasuke blanched. "What_?_! No!" he snapped, looking horrified at the mere idea. "Orochimaru offered to teach me, but my mother refused! Thank God she did too!" he shuddered. "God, could you imagine Orochimaru teaching an eight year old aero dynamics?" he asked and Naruto wrapped his arms around himself, a visible shiver running up his spine at the thought.

"Ew. So creepy!" he hissed before dropping his arms and thinking again. "Well, if not Orochimaru then...Kakashi?" he asked. Sasuke nodded, his smile returning.

"Kakashi became my teacher, but of course before we could really start the training...my family was killed. The agency didn't believe it was a random murder, and so they kept me hidden for several years, enforcing the rumour that I was kidnapped or killed," Sasuke turned his gaze to the water, touching the surface with the tip of his finger and watching the ripples flow out. "When I was fourteen, they had concluded it was safe for me to emerge again. The Chief pulled many strings, however, and made it so that my reappearance was not splashed across the media. Most people had already moved on from the news of my family and no one really took much of an interest in me. I was angry and resentful towards the world at that time. I ran away from Kakashi's lessons often."

Naruto reached out, his hand closing over Sasuke's and snapping him out of a trance forced by his memories. He pulled the startled raven's hand away from the water and placed it back onto Sasuke's lap.

"You had every right to be angry. You're family was gone and your very existence was made out to be like a shadow," Naruto said, retracting his hand now that Sasuke's was no longer in danger of being eaten by the large fish that had appeared in the water. He hadn't noticed there were fish in the fountain until then. "So you were trained to be an agent at fourteen and up eh? Sheesh," he grinned, "no wonder you're such a stuck-up jerk!"

Sasuke stared at him incredulously before he closed his eyes and smirked. "Tch, you're one to talk. You keep telling me not to underestimate you, but you haven't done anything to impress me at all!" he taunted. Naruto jerked, his face reddening and he clenched his fist.

"Say what? I have too! I've saved your ass countless times!" he reminded, but Sasuke only waved his hand dismissively and smirked wider.

"Sure, sure whatever! But we've yet to go on a single mission where you don't get some kind of serious injury that incapacitates you in some way!"

"You ass!" Naruto yelled angrily, jumping to his feet. "You make it sound like I'm a weak little klutz!"

"Not at all!" Sasuke said, though his tone was filled with mocking mirth as he grinned wickedly at the blond standing over him. "After all, I imagine it takes a lot of brawn to get that many injuries and still have room for more."

"That's it!" Naruto snapped, and without thinking he rammed his palm into Sasuke's chest as a shove.

Sasuke, however, went flying backwards. He skimmed across the water before vanishing under it entirely, the water sloshing around. Naruto stood in shock for a moment before jumping in panic.

"Ah! Shit, the virus is activated! Sasuke!" he called, cupping his hands over his mouth as he tried to spot the other man. "Sasuke!"

There was a loud splash before Sasuke emerged from the water, gasping for breath. He was soaked to the bone as he sat, and Naruto gulped at seeing how close he was to the statue. He had pushed him far. However his shock soon gave way to laughter when he noticed that a fish was caught in Sasuke's hair, flapping about wildly while the raven caught his breath.

"Ahahahaha! You should see yourself!" Naruto roared, tears forming at the corner of his eyes, he was laughing so hard. "Ha ha! Oh man, I wish I had a camera right now!"

Sasuke scowled, spitting out some water. He could feel the fish in his hair and reached up, untangling it from his locks and letting it splash back into the water where it swam away in fear of getting caught up in anything again. Naruto's laughter rang out clear and loud in the night air and he looked down, his hair falling over his eyes like thick curtains due to the water.

Naruto opened his eyes, having closed them due to laughing and his laughter started to fade at seeing Sasuke sitting in the water, looking down with a frown. He felt a bit bad at having pushed the man in, but in all fairness he hadn't meant to.

"Ah...S-sorry about that Sasuke! I didn't realize the virus was activated," he began apologetically, holding out his hand to the raven. "Here, let me help y-GAH!"

Sasuke grinned, twisting his wrist and pulling, successfully pulling Naruto over the edge of the fountain and into the water. The moment the blond landed, he reached out and grabbed his head, dunking it under the water for ten seconds before letting go. Naruto splashed up, coughing and sputtering up water.

"Aah! What're you trying to do, kill me?_!_" he yelled, blinking huge eyes at Sasuke before he shook his head to rid it of water. "Gah, I'm totally soaked now!"

Sasuke raised his arm to protect his face from the droplets of water Naruto was shaking off. His shoulders shook for a moment, and when he finally lowered his arm again it was to reveal his teeth sinking into his lip in an attempt to stop himself from laughing. When Naruto finished shaking his head like a dog and looked at him, his hair had become side-swept and comical. Sasuke couldn't hold it anymore and he burst out laughing, slapping his hand into the water.

Naruto's eye twitched in annoyance until he caught his reflection in the water. It was faint but he could see the outline of his hair and it immediately sent him into fits of laughter alongside his raven haired partner.

Minutes bled by before the two of them were able to calm down. They sat back in the water, sighing loudly and wiping away water from their eyes and off their faces.

"Wow," Naruto breathed, "it's been a long time since I've really had fun like this!"

Sasuke nodded in agreement, brushing his hair back. "Yeah. Even though we're in our twenties, working for the Agency makes me feel a lot older. There's so much responsibility on our shoulders, we hardly have time to just...relax."

Naruto hummed in agreement. He twitched, feeling a tickling sensation by his feet. He struggled to see past the reflection but when he did he chuckled at seeing several small fish nibbling on his toes.

"Somehow it still surprises me that you're the same age as me," Naruto murmured. Sasuke glanced to him, raising an eyebrow in question and Naruto grinned. "Well, your whole demeanour in the work place is serious, cold and bastard-like. But now I'm seeing you as a normal guy. Being an agent really does change people...it's nice to know that even after everything you've been through, you can still laugh and smile," he finished, offering one of his own to Sasuke.

The Uchiha felt his cheeks heat up at that smile and he mentally cursed himself for the reaction.

'_He's just smiling! There's nothing special about it!_'

'_Oh, but he's smiling because of your smile!'_

'_Shut up! There's nothing between us, and I don't even think of him that way at all! Not at all!_'

'_Ah, but I never said anything about you two being that way now did I? You're just putting words in your own mouth! Aha~!'_

Naruto blinked rapidly when Sasuke smacked himself harshly against the face. "Uh..."

Sasuke panted heavily after his hit, his face pale. '_Great. I've developed an inner voice that promotes these weird feelings. And worst of all it sounds like Orochimaru! Ugh..._'

"Hey Sasuke, are you alright?" Naruto asked slowly, edging away from the raven as if he were contagious. Sasuke opened his mouth to reply, but he was cut off by a high pitched squeal.

"AAH! Officer! Officer! There are two young hooligans bathing in the fountain! Officer!" and elderly lady screeched, standing several feet away from the fountain and waving her handbag wildly. "OFFICER!"

"Run!" Naruto yelped, jumping out of the pond and grabbing his bag. Sasuke followed suit, the two of them splashing out of the freezing water and sprinting away at top speed while the scandalized woman continued to screech after them.

They continued to run through the darkened streets, laughing at their antics until they came to a stop several blocks away and took a rest.

"Ehehe...Crazy old lady! I haven't been a hooligan since high school!" Naruto joked and Sasuke chuckled, reaching into Naruto's bag to pull out his cell phone which he had, thankfully, stored in their earlier.

"I'll call a cab home," he murmured and Naruto nodded, wringing some water out of his shirt.

"Damn, I need a shower! It's freezing!" he whined, his teeth chattering. Sasuke nodded, his own frame shivering from the cold. They hadn't really thought about the temperature when in the pond but now that they were out it was extremely cold.

The cab came to pick them up soon enough, and they received their fair share of dirty looks from the driver for wetting his seats. But they were paying him so tough.

Sasuke pushed through the door to his apartment complex, looking up and seeing Stone pulling a jacket on. "Oh, are you finished for the night?" he asked as Naruto sidled up beside him.

Stone looked over, tilting his head to the side. "Nah, I'm just going to meet some friends of mine for dinner and then I'll be back. What the hell have you two been up to?" he asked.

Naruto snickered through his shivering. "According to an elderly civilian, we were bathing in the public pond."

Stone threw his head back, laughing deeply at that as he made his way out from behind the counter and towards the doors.

"Well, I'm sure that was fun. Goodnight you guys!" he called, waving to them as he stepped out of the building. Naruto waved back while Sasuke just nodded and led the way to the elevator.

"I book the shower first!" Naruto challenged as he stepped inside the apartment and threw his bag onto the couch. Sasuke sent him a glare.

"No way."

"I'll race you!"

"You're on."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Stone adjusted his jacket sleeves as he stepped into the Pub and Grill three blocks away from his apartment. He took a quick look around before spotting his friends and making his way over. Sliding into a seat, he surveyed the two men sitting opposite him and sighed.<p>

"It looks like you've gotten yourselves into some serious shit, boys."

"You have no idea," Kaoru grunted, taking a sip of his beer. Kamari fidgeted with his own drink, and Stone noted he was extremely pale. His hand was shaking badly as he brought it up to rub tenderly at a large gauze bandage on the side of his neck.

"What happened there Little K?" Stone asked in concern, pushing his hat up slightly.

Kamari lowered his hand as if it had been burned and he avoided Stone's gaze. "Just a little accident," he mumbled.

Stone nodded slowly. "Right. And I have a vagina."

The twins looked at him, blue eyes guilty and green eyes glaring.

"How am I supposed to help you two if you won't tell me what's going on?" Stone pressed, a frown on his long face.

Kaoru sighed heavily, his hand reaching under the table to grasp his brother's and keep him calm. Kamari squeezed back, still avoiding eye contact.

"I wish we could tell you everything, Stone. But for your sake, and ours, we can't. Not yet," Kaoru explained. Stone glared at him, but it was to no avail. Eventually he gave up and shrugged.

"Alright. But guys," he stared at them sincerely, "Whatever you're doing...be very careful."

Kamari nodded immediately and Kaoru just grunted a soft "I know that, idiot" into his beer.

Stone shook his head. "So, secrecy aside, when are you going to visit your mom?" he asked, tapping his fingers on the table. He got the reaction he was looking for.

"How is she?" both twins chorused, leaning forward. Stone may have laughed at how in sync they were at the moment had the situation been any different.

"She's bored, bed-ridden and, though she doesn't say it, missing her boys like crazy," Stone relayed, crossing his arms over the table. "You could take some time off whatever work you're doing and go visit her, you know."

"It hasn't been easy! In order to make money we've had to work non-stop!" Kaoru snapped while Kamari nodded furiously in agreement. Stone scoffed in their faces, making both of them flinch.

"Too busy to visit your sick mother? That's a bit harsh wouldn't you say?"

"Tch. We're doing what we're doing for her sake! She shouldn't complain!" Kaoru growled, taking a gulp of beer and swirling his can around. Kamari took a small sip of his own, his eyes trained on the ceiling. Stone shook his head sadly.

"Doing it for her sake? Is that really what you tell yourselves?" he asked, standing up. The twins turned to him and he fixed them with a stern glare. "When you manage to admit to yourselves that you're doing this more for your own sakes than hers, then you'll have made some progress."

"What kind of bullshit are you spouting?" Kaoru snapped, standing up and slamming his hand on the table. Several customers nearby paused, turning to glance at him warily. He scowled at them all. "What're you looking at_?_! Mind your own business!"

While the customers turned away, Stone reached out. Kaoru froze when a hand was tangled in his hair and he winced at the tight grip Stone had. Still sitting down, Kamari winced too and reached a hand up, massaging his own scalp as if it was his head that Stone was gripping.

"It's not bullshit. She has already accepted her situation. It's the two of you who are refusing to accept it. You're not making money for the operation for her sake. You're doing it so that the two of you won't have to accept her situation and live with it," Stone growled lowly, his voice cold. "And that makes her feel even worse. I don't know exactly how you are planning to get the money, but I do know that whatever you're doing is not something she would approve of."

With that said Stone released Kaoru's head and turned on his heel. "Call me when you've grown up." And then he was out of the restaurant.

Kaoru sank back into his seat, rubbing at his head. "Damn that jerk. He doesn't know what he's talking about!" he mumbled, though the guilty look in his eyes said otherwise. Kamari pushed his empty glass away and leant against his brother.

"...Maybe we should call it quits. Things have gotten way out of hand. We can still get money somehow but I don't think working for these people was the right idea," he said honestly, his hand once more coming to his neck. Kaoru glanced at him, his eyes narrowing in defeat.

"Yeah...I thought I knew what we were signing up for. I'm sorry to drag you into this," he murmured. "Okay, we'll quit."

"Hn. That wouldn't be a very wise move, little ones."

Both twins froze, their eyes bulging in shock and fear as someone stood behind them, hands clasping their shoulders. A dark shadow loomed over them and sweat rolled down their faces as they saw who was there.

"I-Itachi..." Kaoru stammered, his face paling. "H-How long have you b-been there?"

Itachi's smile was wicked. "Long enough to know that it seems your loyalty to the organization has wavered to all but nothing."

Kamari was trembling; his hand scrabbling under the table to grab Kaoru's and squeeze it tightly for some kind of support. Itachi glided around the table and took a seat opposite them, making sure that both men saw the glint of a gun just under his jacket. He smirked at the way Kamari seemed to start hyperventilating silently while veins began to become prominent in Kaoru's neck. It was a sign of stress. He was tensing too much. Itachi was enjoying himself thoroughly.

"Now, my little ones, let's just take a moment to talk about this, shall we? After all," his hand came to casually rest on the handle of his gun. To anyone else, it would look like he was just resting his arm on his leg. "You don't want any more misfortunate accidents to happen now would you?"

Kaoru's head snapped forward, and Itachi smirked at the look in his eyes. He was like a cornered animal.

"Don't panic just yet," Itachi assured, removing his hand from his gun. The men seemed to calm down at that, but their guards were still up and they were still terrified. "I have, shall we say, a proposition for you."

"P-proposition?" Kamari whispered, looking confused. "What?"

"Or more likely...a deal. You see, I have something I need to do but I've come to realize it might be difficult to do it alone. I could use some help. And let me tell you this...you wouldn't be allowed to leave the organization without some kind of...penalty."

"So if we leave, we're dead. That's what you're saying, eh?" Kaoru growled.

Itachi's smirk widened. "Exactly. However...I will agree to keep your little momentary resolve quiet from the rest of the organization if...you agree to my plans."

The twins shared a glance before turning back to Itachi. "You're not really giving us much of a choice. What do you want?"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>Well, I hope you all liked it! ^_^ Aawww, little SasuNaru fluff for all eh? And what has Itachi got planned for the twins? Oh teh suspense! XD<strong>

**Please remember to leave a review on your way out and let me know what you've thought! See you next time!**


	11. Developements

**Hello boys and girls...well, some of you may know the tragedy that befell this chapter when I was working on it. For those who don't...basically, I wrote it, it was getting way too long for a single chapter so I thought I'd split it...and long story short I ended up deleting all the epic action parts and not saving them so I lost half the chapter. I had to start again, I was so pissed with myself. I won't lie, I actually cried a bit when I realized what I'd just done. **

**This chapter could be considered a filler...but not entirely because there is some important stuff in here. Next chapter there's lots of action, and then the chapter after that...and the one after that (which I'm currently working on and DAMN, I'm pumped!)**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and look forward to more!**

**Warnings: Uhm, some language I guess...Orochimaru XD and...there's a kiss. :D**

**~ADB~  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Shikamaru yawned widely, rubbing some sleep from the corner of his eyes as he stepped out of the elevator. He hated the fact that he always had to come in to work so early. It made him miss precious hours of sleep. He typed in the code for the keypad and stepped into the inventing room.<p>

"Morning Chouji," he greeted, sluggishly waving his hand to his friend. Chouji looked up from his work table with a pair of overlarge goggles on his face. He grinned, waving back.

"Hey Shikamaru! Come here for a second! I just invented this new grappling gun! It's smaller and easier to handle!" he said excitedly, waving a blow torch around. Shikamaru's eyebrows piqued in interest and he trudged over, leaning down to examine the small gun. Indeed it was much smaller than the guns agents currently used now for grappling purposes. It could fit in a matchbox!

"What type of string does it use?" he asked and Chouji crossed his arms, a smug grin on his face.

"The special fishnet wire that we created! It's unbreakable, and best of all practically invisible! Agents can use it to scale walls, rooftops and various places without worrying about alerting enemies due to the ropes mass! It's perfect!" he announced, holding a fist up. Shikamaru nodded and picked the small gun up.

Chouji stood proudly beside him, waiting for Shikamaru to give him praise on his excellent invention.

"Chouji," Shikamaru began, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face. Chouji puffed up excitedly.

'_Ha ha! My invention is so impressive, he is sweating in excitement!_' he thought.

"Yes, Shikamaru?"

"...My finger can't reach the trigger. It's too small."

The large inventor froze, his mouth hanging open. All colour drained from his face while Shikamaru placed the miniscule gun back onto the table and stepped away.

"You'll need to make it a bit bigger, I'm afraid. Or perhaps add a button trigger instead, though that would be risky."

Chouji slumped over his table, sniffing pathetically. "Dammit! I didn't think about accessibility!"

Shikamaru chuckled at his friend, moving to his own work table. He sat down, stretching his arms out behind him until he felt his shoulders click. Sighing, he reached out to grab his pen and start sketching his latest idea. Before he could, the door to the room slid open.

"Hey! You too nerds need to go to the Chief's office!" Kiba yelled. Shikamaru jumped at the sudden noise and his pen dropped off his table, clattering to the floor. The moment it hit, a small whizzing sound was heard. Kiba let out a yell as several small darts pinned him to the doorway. His eyes bulged as more came zooming at him. Using his legs he managed to kick them away.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" he roared, fending off more darts.

"Oh shit! I forgot! That's the dart pen I finished making yesterday!" Shikamaru said, sitting up. Chouji let out an 'eep!' and jumped out of his seat, rushing forwards.

"Don't worry Kiba! I'll help yo-AH!" He tripped, falling to the ground. His hand hit the edge of the pen and sent it whizzing through the air, straight for Kiba's forehead.

The brunet let out a scream as it approached, his eyes bulging when he saw there was a dart poking out the end.

"I DON'T WANT TO GET STABBED!" he squealed, trying to dislodge himself from the doorway, but it was no use.

A hand shot out, stopping the dart-pen inches from his face. Kiba gulped, sweat pouring down his forehead in buckets while he glanced to the side at his saviour.

"K-K-Kakashi..."

Kakashi's eye curved upwards in a smile as he held the pen. "My my, everyone is so lively today! What high spirits you all have!" he said approvingly. Shikamaru and Chouji stared at him while Kiba choked on his own saliva, twitching from his place against the doorway. Kakashi looked around, still smiling.

"As fun as this all looks, I'm afraid we all have to get moving! The Chief has called an emergency meeting in his office, and he asked that you three attend!" he said, tossing the pen away where it landed back on Shikamaru's desk as if it had never been moved. Shikamaru stared at it with something akin to horror before turning cautious eyes to the cheerful man in the doorway.

"Legendary Agent indeed," he mumbled. "Man, this place is troublesome."

They arrived at the chief's office and both inventors were stunned at the amount of agent's gathered there. They stood awkwardly amongst the crowd of black suited men and woman. Chouji fiddled with the hem of his drab jacket while Shikamaru sung his hands into the deep pockets of his dark green cargo pants. His eyes trailed over everyone present, noting the faces.

'_Man, how troublesome. All the top agents are here! There's the Hyuugas, Lee Rock and even their old teacher Gai Might! Tch, whatever's happening must be big for the Chief to call in the older generation agents. Even Orochimaru is here!_' he thought, cringing at seeing the man wearing a bright purple suit that shone in the sunlight. '_That guy always creeps me out._'

Chief Sarutobi stood by the window behind his desk, staring out at the city.

"Everyone. I have called you here for an important reason," he began, his voice loud and clear as he turned to the gathered group. They all straightened and Shikamaru grumbled under his breath as he forced himself to stop slouching. He looked up, blushing when he saw the Chief give him a knowing wink.

"As you are all aware, a new organization has finally risen out of the shadows and been revealed to us. Their plans revolve around a revolutionary virus that they are working to create, using specific candidates and their rare blood types to perfect. Our intelligence has already gathered that they have three candidates that they are using to test this virus on. Luckily, we caught wind of their other targets and have managed to put a stop to their capture, though it's taken its toll on our forces. And now this organization is starting to really fight back. I assume you've all heard about the bombing of an allying agent's apartment yesterday morning, yes?"

There were nods around the room and Shikamaru heard Orochimaru murmur "Such a waste of a good building too."

"By targeting Agent Kyuubi, this organization has started their fight against us. I received a report this morning informing me that the hideout for the blood type candidates was attacked last night. Luckily, all personnel were able to evacuate successfully and reach the second base. We've been delaying this long enough. It is time for our counter strike!" Chief Sarutobi said, and there was a chorus of cheers from the gathered agents.

'_Seriously? I feel like I'm in some kind of crappy war movie,_' Shikamaru thought, sighing and rubbing his temple.

"Our inventors will supply you with any gadgets you need!"

"Eh?" Shikamaru looked up and flinched at the multiple stares directed his way from all the agents. Chouji was sweating under the scrutiny.

"And of course our animal trainers will provide agents with the mission assistants needed too."

Kiba grinned, holding up his hand in a salute. "Roger that, Chief!" he declared, his grin revealing his elongated canines.

"This is turning into quite the exciting ordeal, is it not?" Orochimaru asked, walking closer to the chief and crossing his arms. "It's been a while since all agents have been sent on missions relating to the same problem!"

Sarutobi nodded, his hands clasped behind his back. "This is a time of crises for our agency as well as our country. We are going to take this organization down if it's the last thing we do."

"Excuse me! Chief!" Lee Rock shoved his hand in the air, his thick black hair bouncing around his face. The Chief nodded at him and he stepped forward. "Which agents will be taking on the lead missions? I understand that each agent will be playing a role in the destruction of this fiendish enemy, but who will be the final nail in the woodwork, if I may ask?"

Sarutobi smiled. "Agent Sharingan, and Agent Kyuubi shall be the final nails, if you will."

Silence rang out in the room, each agent stiffening as they recalled exactly who those code names belonged too.

"Eh? You mean that blond guy who was fighting with Uchiha?"

"I saw them! They were fighting in the gadget room that one time!"

"Is it really a good idea to put them together?"

"Those two can't seem to get along!"

"How can we trust the fate of the country to them?"

"This doesn't sound good! Chief, reconsider!"

Shikamaru clapped a hand over his eyes as more complaints and assumptions sprang through the room.

'_Everyone has a point though...those two just can't seem to get along._' He looked up, seeing the way the Chief and Orochimaru were just smiling and Kakashi was laughing at something Neji Hyuuga had said in protest. '_I knew it...We're all doomed._'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke rolled over, burying his face into his pillow with a scowl. He could hear the screeching of a bird outside his window and it was starting to seriously piss him off. He growled lowly, turning over again.<p>

"Tch! That damn chicken is getting on my nerves!" he hissed, glaring with one eye towards the curtained window. He was tired after everything and this bird had made him wake up early! It was unforgivable!

"Mmnn, then just go shoo it away," a groan came from the bottom of his bed. Naruto had set up a bunch of blankets and pillows for himself at the foot of Sasuke's bed, stating that he was not sleeping on the couch because the springs were broken. Sasuke had, of course, blamed the broken springs on Naruto's dancing but the blond conveniently went deaf at that time and insisted he get to sleep in Sasuke's room.

Sasuke scooted over until his head was poking over the edge of the bed and he glared at the man lying there.

"Moron! You're the one invading my bedroom! You go shoo that damn pigeon away!" he snapped, reaching down and yanking on Naruto's hair. The blond whined at the abuse, slapping Sasuke's hand away and sitting up.

"Damn, you're definitely not a morning person!" he speculated, receiving a glare in return. "Fine, fine! Whatever!" Naruto grumbled, getting to his feet. He walked over to the window, picking up one of Sasuke's discarded shoes as he went. Sasuke watched him open the curtains and pull the window up, covering his ears when the screeching got louder. There was a small group of pigeons by his window, chattering loudly. Naruto yawned, holding up his hand.

"SCRAM YOU FLEA-BITTEN, FAST-FOOD RUNTS!" he roared suddenly, hurling the shoe at the group of birds. They screeched in terror, taking flight immediately and zooming away while Naruto calmly closed the window and shut the curtains again.

Sasuke stared at him blankly as he walked back over to his little nest of pillows on the floor and climbed in. Blinking slowly, he turned his own head and sunk back into bed.

"Hey Naruto..."

"Hm?"

"You're fetching my shoe later."

"Yeah, yeah."

They fell back into a deep slumber, time sliding past whilst their snores filled the warm air.

Naruto turned over, his eyes opening slowly. He'd been having a dream that involved warmth, pleasure and a pretty face that he couldn't quite name. Sighing at having woken up, he sat up, momentarily looking down to assess the situation.

"Great," he yawned, "Time for a cold shower." He pushed his blanket aside, standing up and pulling at the back of his pants to get them back to normal after they had lodged between his butt cheeks.

He trudged towards the bathroom, pushing the door open and grimacing at the amount of dead cockroaches lying about. It was disgusting. Groaning, he stepped over the majority of them and headed to the shower, stepping inside and sliding the door closed.

The hot spray of water helped relax his muscles and he looked down at his hand, clenching his fist. He had noticed the other day that when the virus activated he would feel a short pulse of fire through his system. It wasn't extremely noticeable, and was over before he could really analyze the feeling but it was the best way he could tell whether that designated hour had arrived or not. It was still hard to accept the changes made to him. He was still sore over it and wished there was a cure.

Sasuke may have made him see the possible benefits to this virus, but Naruto knew it was easier for the raven to say that. He didn't have the virus in him, after all. Naruto was more scared for those around him than himself. Examples were last night and even the time just before, where he'd accidentally dislocated Sasuke's shoulder. The problem was that he felt no difference. When the virus was activated, he couldn't feel the effort he usually would when doing something strenuous. It was way too easy, and that was why he couldn't control it. He wasn't able to feel when he was squeezing too hard or not.

A sigh worked its way out of his throat and he leant his head against the tiled wall.

'_I knew this mission was going to involve some serious shit...but I never imagined something like this would ever happen._'

He stood under the spray for a minute longer before turning the handle to cold and hissing at the freezing water that hit his skin. Goosebumps rose up all over his body and he shivered; waiting until his problem was sorted before switching the water off and stepping out. He manoeuvred over the cockroach graveyard only to come to an awkward stop.

"Shit, I forgot to bring a towel!" he grumbled to himself. He contemplated calling for Sasuke, but the man was probably still asleep and wouldn't want to be disturbed yet again. But at the same time Naruto was iffy about walking through Sasuke's house butt-naked. There was just something odd about the thought.

Shivering from cold, he thought of what he could do.

'_Well, Sasuke is bound to be asleep. And I know he's got a towel hung over his closet door handle. I can just sneak in and get it but I'll have to be quick!'_

He pulled the door open, peering out into the silent hallway. Seeing the coast was clear, he began to tip toe towards Sasuke's room, one hand covering his crotch just in case. He approached Sasuke's door, inching closer until he could listen in. He heard Sasuke's soft snores and closed his eyes in relief. Wrapping his hand around the handle, he eased the door open little bits at a time.

Sasuke was still sleeping, one arm thrown over his face while he snored. Naruto slid into the room, keeping close to the wall as he took careful steps towards the closet. He tried to tug the white towel off the handle from a distance, but the material got caught on something. Naruto huffed angrily and moved right over to the closet. Casting a tentative glance over at Sasuke, he turned his back on the raven and started to pull the towel off. He felt lucky that his hour of freakishness was already up. If he had tugged the towel then, he probably would've ripped the closet door off its hinges.

He tensed when he heard Sasuke stop snoring and his head cricked around to stare at the raven. Sasuke was on his side now, eyes still closed while he breathed evenly.

'_He must be the type that only snores when he sleeps on his back..._' Naruto speculated, eyes lingering on Sasuke's mouth for a second before he tore them away and focused on getting the damn towel.

When he finally managed to dislodge the material from the handle, he quickly wrapped it around his waist and hurried out of the room. He'd left his bags in the living room, so he could change there.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Sasuke turned over again. This time, however, his eyes were wide open and he was blushing in the safety of his arms.

'_You were so checking out his ass! I can't believe you were checking out his ass!_'

He shook his head, trying to ignore that little voice that kept nagging him. It still sounded like Orochimaru and it was seriously beginning to freak him out.

'_No! I woke up and I was trying to see what he was doing!_' he reasoned, nodding resolutely at his excuse.

'_Yeah, trying to see what he was doing with that ass! The sooner you admit you've got the hots for him, the sooner we can move on with life._' And the voice was back and as nagging as ever.

But he shook his head again, turning over and pulling the covers over him to try and block out the voice from the outside.

'_I am not gay! I am a normal, straight man who does not check out other men's asses because that is just wrong and rude. I am not gay._'

He could almost feel the snort that echoed in his head before his Mental-Orochimaru spoke up again.

'_Tell that to your little friend down there._'

Sasuke wanted to sob. He was tempted to throw himself out of his own window just to escape the embarrassment that he was feeling. Before meeting Naruto, things had been so easy. Sure, he wasn't particularly attracted to women or anything. He hadn't really bothered with a relationship at all. It was a waste of time to him, since he was always busy with missions. He wouldn't have been happy with someone who wasn't as strong as him, or who couldn't match up to him. And while there were plenty of female agents who were powerful, like him they were busy or were already with others. Sasuke hadn't bothered searching.

Now, however, he was starting to sway towards a side that had never before been an issue. And it was all Naruto's fault for being so-

'_Gorgeous? Cute? Delectable? Godly? Stud-muffin-ish? Just tell me when to stop, because I've got a long list here!_' Mental-Orochimaru said gleefully and Sasuke really did sob into his hands.

'_I hate you. I hate you so much! Both in real life and in my head!_'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>There was a heavy tension between the two as they sat at the breakfast table. Naruto twirled his spoon around in his cereal awkwardly, lips pursed together. Sasuke was sitting opposite him, a piece of toast laid on a plate before him and a newspaper hiding his face.<p>

Naruto wasn't sure when exactly the tension had started. It may have been around the time that, after wiping some milk off his mouth after a large spoonful, he'd noticed Sasuke was staring at him from over the top of his paper. The moment he'd looked up and made eye contact, Sasuke had lifted the paper and hidden his eyes.

It may have just been a trick of the light, but Naruto was certain that Sasuke's ears went red. He placed his elbow on the counter, stirring his flakes around in his bowl as he thought over Sasuke's strange behaviour.

He wasn't an idiot. He had felt the shift in Sasuke's eyes. Before, he'd noticed that Sasuke always seemed to be warring inside over something. He, of course, kept his emotions under control but Naruto had been trained to read people. It was the one thing he'd learned without much effort. He was a natural. And it was as obvious as a naked man amongst black-clothed children to him that Sasuke was keeping some sort of feeling under wraps.

Naruto wished he could say he was oblivious to what that feeling might be, but as stated before he knew how to read a person. Sasuke was by far the toughest person to read, but he managed most of the time.

Naruto was no fool. He knew that Sasuke held an attraction for him. He also knew by Sasuke's actions that the raven was firmly trying to snub those feelings and demolish them. Naruto could admit that Sasuke was a handsome man, and his skills as an agent were impressive to a high level. He was flattered that Sasuke felt an attraction to him, and he wasn't about to lie to himself by saying he felt absolutely nothing. However, Naruto wasn't sure if what he felt towards Sasuke was attraction in a romantic sense, or simply the appreciation of a good looking person. If he was even more honest with himself he would admit that he wasn't sure about his own orientation. He loved women, no doubt. But he'd never had a chance to be with another man and he didn't want to rule something that he hadn't given a chance out entirely. His last relationship had ended badly and it was his fault. He had, somehow, lost interest. He'd broken up with the girl after ensuring that she was not at fault and that he was the asshole. She had agreed but luckily she left without looking too devastated, for which he was grateful for.

Now he wondered what he should do. He figured that Sasuke probably wasn't going to try anything on his own. Should he initiate something? But what if it turned out he wasn't attracted to men or Sasuke after all? He didn't want to lead the man on in anyway, nor risk their friendship for some experiment.

He got a spoonful of cereal and hoisted it to his mouth.

'_I guess all I can really do for now is wait and see what Sasuke does. I'll let him make any first move and judge things from there. No use in thinking about something that hasn't been confirmed. For all I know, I might actually remind him of a past girlfriend or boyfriend and that's the only reason he feels any kind of attraction._'

On his own side of the table, Sasuke was in a fierce battle that threatened to shake the very foundations of his sanity.

'_You're so gay for him._'

'_Shut up, crawl into the deepest recesses of my mind, and die. Right now!_'

'_Oh come on, just admit it! You cannot still be in denial, it's way too late for that!_'

Sasuke wanted to hit himself across the face again. That nagging voice inside his head, whom he had now dubbed Mochi, was as stubborn and relentless as he was. And it still sounded like Orochimaru! Not only was he arguing with himself, but his inner-self sounded like the King-or Queen, the debate is open- of all Freakish Beings, and it was insisting that he had feelings for Naruto Uzumaki, another _man_.

Sasuke was just having a bad day all around.

'_Admit that I am right, and your day will improve!_'

Sasuke growled, his fingers clenching into the paper tight enough to tear through the first page. He missed the slanted look Naruto sent him but the blond returned to his cereal soon enough and Sasuke was still trying to smother the little bastard in his head.

'_I am not gay._'

'_Right, and Orochimaru is your average citizen, Sakura's hair is green and your shoe size is above average._'

Sasuke frowned, feeling a little offended. '_My shoe size _is_ above average!_'

'_So you're out of denial then?_'

Sasuke wanted to shoot himself now. He'd fallen into a trap that was set up by his own mind! That was just a new fail in the book of epic fails, he knew it.

"So," Naruto's voice snapped through his suicidal thoughts and he tilted the paper enough to peer at the man across from him. "Is there something really interesting on that page? You haven't turned it once," the blond said, smirking slyly when Sasuke jerked in realization.

The raven growled under his breath and slammed the paper closed, tossing it to the middle of the table.

"Just news about the bombing and some stuff about the warehouse we destroyed and a few other buildings," he informed, taking a bite out of his toast. It had gotten cold and the butter had made it soggy. Sasuke glared at it. He _hated_ soggy toast!

Naruto chuckled at the almost childish glare on his partner's face. "Well, today is our last day off before we head back into the field and into danger. What should we do?" he asked, picking up his bowel and drinking the milk that was left.

Sasuke scratched his chin thoughtfully, noting that he needed to shave soon. He shrugged, looking around the kitchen. "I don't know. I've never really had time to hang around and be lazy before," he admitted and Naruto let out a disbelieving snort.

"You're serious? You've never just lazed around?" he asked and Sasuke shrugged again, looking unperturbed.

"It's a useless and unproductive hobby. Why would I partake in it?" he asked.

"_Because_ it's useless and unproductive! Geez, are you sure you were born in this country?" Naruto asked loudly, standing up and grabbing his bowel. He placed it in the sink, doing the same with Sasuke's plate. He took the soggy toast and threw it in the bin since Sasuke was obviously not going to eat it and turned to the raven, hands on his hips. "It's settled! Today, Uchiha, I will teach you the fine art of being a lazy bum!" he declared.

Sasuke raised a brow, leaning on his elbow and observing the blond man with boredom.

"Oh, I'm so excited I forgot to explode," he drawled, rolling his eyes.

Naruto grinned. "Don't be so smug, asshole. It takes a special type of skill to be lazy for long, especially for someone like you! In fact," he crossed his arms and smirked darkly, "I'll bet you can't do it!"

Sasuke glared at him. "Please. I'm one of the top ranking agents in the entire agency; I've killed more men than I have spoken to, I've been to every country in the world, I've done almost every dangerous activity under the harshest conditions and survived. Something like lazing around will not be a challenge!" he assured.

Naruto grinned, a gleam in his eye. "Then prove it. Today, you're going to be the laziest bum ever!"

Sasuke growled. "Fine!"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>'<em>How the hell do people do this and survive?<em>' Sasuke though, trying not to scream.

He was currently lying on the couch, his feet by Naruto's head while the blond sat on the floor. They were facing the T.V where a movie was currently playing on air. It was something stupid and overdramatic and Sasuke had already figured out who the criminal was, why they were doing it and when the stupid woman on the screen was going to pull her head out of her ass and realize it was her son.

Sasuke was struggling with being lazy. Naruto hadn't been joking when he said it took effort. Sasuke was used to being on the move, being tense and on guard...he was not used to being totally relaxed and never moving.

So many times he'd wanted to stretch, or maybe just walk to the kitchen and back just to get some motion but Naruto had assured him that that would count as a fail. He had to be extremely lazy.

Sasuke hated relaxing.

'_My God, if I don't move now, my legs are going to start melting!_' he thought, chancing a glance at Naruto. He tried to think of what to do when an idea came to him.

"Hey," he called sluggishly and his reply was a grunt from Naruto. "I need to take a leak."

Naruto let his head fall back, his eyes lazily rolling towards Sasuke. "You can't hold it in for a bit?"

"Moron, I have been holding it in," Sasuke countered with a scowl. Naruto grinned before turning his attention back to the screen.

"Alright, you can go piss. But if you run or have a spring in your step, I'm taking off points!" he informed, chuckling when Sasuke made sure to knock his head as he got off the couch.

The raven trudged towards the bathroom, well aware that Naruto was watching him. As soon as he reached the toilet and closed the door, he let out an explosive sigh and stretched his arms and legs. He clicked his back, almost groaning at how much better he felt from that simple act. Being a lazy bum was indeed an art, and it was one that Sasuke wasn't keen to learn after all.

He leant against the sink, peering at his reflection in the mirror. Now that he thought of it, he was hungry and he felt like going for a run. Trying to be lazy had had an opposite effect on him. Now he wanted nothing more than to move around.

'_Maybe I can trick him into going for a jog?_' he wondered, moving to the toilet and unzipping his pants. He really did need to pee, after all.

He finished his business, washing his hands before sighing and deciding he would just have to come up with a plan to make Naruto end their 'Lazy Training'.

He stepped out of the bathroom and walked down the hall, coming up with several arguments that ranged from 'I challenge you to a run' to 'this is the stupidest thing he'd ever done and he refused to do it anymore simply because of how stupid it was'. He was planning to make that last argument a last resort.

However, he paused when he walked into the living room, seeing Naruto sleeping. The blond had his head titled back on the couch, his mouth open slightly as he snored lightly. The movie had finished and the credits were rolling around.

Sasuke smirked, deciding that having Naruto asleep meant he could go for a run and come back without having to argue with him. He walked over, turning the T.V off. Carefully, he pulled Naruto onto the couch and laid him down. He grabbed a small blanket that was often folded over the arm of the couch and spread it over the blond, smirking wider when Naruto curled up.

'_Right. Now I'll just go put on some running shoes and I'll be off. I'll just go around the block a few times and then come back._' He nodded in agreement with his plans and was about to turn when Mochi sprung up.

'_Don't go yet! You'll miss this chance!_'

He scowled. '_What chance?_'

'_You imbecile! Look at him! He's fast asleep, his mouth is in plain reach and you're attracted to him! Do I have to spell it out for you?_'

Sasuke stiffened at those thoughts and reluctantly his eyes roved over to Naruto once more. Sure enough, Naruto's face was upwards and he could easily lean down and-

'_No! I refuse to do it! I will not entertain these stupid, meaningless thoughts any longer!_' he thought stubbornly, almost stamping his foot on the ground to try and underline his resolve.

He stood there for a full minute, just clenching his fists and glaring at nothing. Then, he spun around and bent down, one arm bracing himself across the top of the couch.

'_Motherfuckingsonofabitchwhore-_'

'_You're welcome!_' Mochi practically sang in his head.

Sasuke scowled again as he leant closer, eyes sliding over the contours of Naruto's face. He could feel the hot breaths of the snoozing blond wash over his face and his mouth as he drew neared. He had a chance to back out, he needed to back out, he had to back out before it was too late-

Lips met lips and Sasuke's eyes closed, his eyebrows furrowing in anger at himself for allowing this to happen. He was ranting and raving like a madman in his mind, trashing whatever mental images were provided to him as he began to move his lips gently over Naruto's. Really, if the blond woke up now he would probably kill him. Sasuke almost wished he would, just so he would be free of this whole situation.

A minute passed and still Sasuke was kissing the blond. He almost wanted to bite Naruto's lip for daring to do this to him, but that would risk waking the man up. He was still unsure of whether that was a good thing or not.

And then he pulled back, his lips tingling from the contact and he bit his lower lip in pure anger, cursing it for liking the contact. He cursed himself for liking the contact and wanting more of it. He pushed away, still gnawing on his lip before he pressed a hand over his mouth. His eyes glared to the side, landing on the picture of his family that was still turned around. His glare increased, as if he blamed that picture for everything. Perhaps he blamed the people it showed rather than the object.

Hissing, he turned and hurried into his bedroom, grabbing his running shoes and his mp3 player. He then stormed out of his apartment, quietly, and closed the door behind him.

Unbeknownst to him, Naruto's eyes opened the moment the door clicked shut, and a tan hand reached up to prod at swollen lips. His expression was one of curiosity, slight confusion and the faintest hint of cheer.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke shoved his earphones in his ears, turning the volume up as he started to jog. It was reaching the afternoon now and people were milling about the streets, making his job more of an obstacle course than he'd wanted. He zigzagged through the crowds, his mouth open to keep his breathing even and his arms set at his sides. The only things he could hear were the lyrics of the heavy music playing in his ears and the thud of his heartbeat. He continued to run, passing a group of teenage boys walking home from school. They had just crossed the road when he passed and he didn't notice the light changing. One of the boys saw him run and yelled out to him.<p>

"Mister! Watch out!" he yelled, eyes bulging at seeing a car speeding towards Sasuke.

The music in Sasuke's ears had, luckily, started to change into a new song and he'd heard the last bit of the boy's shout. His head snapped to the side, seeing the car barrelling towards him and he let out a stream of curses that were impressive to the crowds gathered around. He turned his whole body forwards, facing the oncoming car. People were screaming for him to move, some already yanking out their phones to call an ambulance. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, counting in his head.

It took the car nine seconds to reach him, but Sasuke had been prepared in eight.

He jumped as the car reached him, his feet landing on the hood. He propelled himself forward, using the motion the car forced him into to do a handstand and literally flip over the rest of the car. He landed on his feet, crouching slightly on the road while the car continued to speed away.

For a moment, everyone watching was silent before the teenage boys broke out into applause.

"That was awesome!" the one that had warned him yelled, rushing over and marvelling at the fact he didn't have a scratch on him. "How did you do that? Are you some kind of superhero?" he asked incredulously.

Sasuke pulled his earphones out of his ears, looking around at the clapping crowd with slight annoyance. He was a bit out of breath from his sudden moves, but nothing too bad. He'd faced worse.

"Hn. I'm a stuntman by profession. That was just a lucky break," he offered as an explanation to the boy. He looked towards the direction the car had gone. "If someone got that car's license plate, they should report it," he continued, narrowing his eyes. The teenagers nodded, talking amongst themselves about everything that had happened. Sasuke just placed his earphones back in his ears, turning the volume down and continuing his jog.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Orochimaru hummed a tune as he stepped onto the sidewalk, his hair bouncing around his face in massive curls. He slammed the door of his car, making sure to lock it before walking into the dingy, less-than-attractive building before him. As he passed through the front door he thought back to an incident earlier when he was driving. He could've sworn he almost ran over someone, but they vanished when he blinked and he had been moving much to fast to bother going back and checking. It had probably just been a big fat pigeon or something anyway.<p>

A bell sounded overhead as the door swung closed behind him and he placed his hands into his trouser pockets. Sauntering up to the front desk, he rung the bell twice and stood waiting, whistling the tune now. There were footsteps before a familiar face stepped into sight and Orochimaru grinned.

"Ah, dear sweet Guren!" he greeted, leaning towards the woman standing on the other side of the desk. "My, you look positively dreary today!"

Guren chuckled dryly, fixing the messy tie her hair was in as she examined the man before her. "Hello, Orochimaru. Finally decided to take me up on my offer?" she asked slyly and Orochimaru chuckled.

"Guren, the day I take you up on your offer is the day I become a pastor for the local church," he informed with a smile. Guren arched an eyebrow, her lips pulling down in an unhappy pout.

"Fine," she grumbled, crossing her arms over her breasts and tilting her head, "So what is it that you came here for? Don't tell me you'd prefer going with one of my other girls!" she accused, narrowing her eyes at the pale man. Orochimaru chuckled again, waving his hand as if the very idea was ridiculous.

"I have not come here today for any service of that kind, Guren. I actually came to speak with Kabuto; I have a bit of a favour to ask him."

Guren's eyes widened briefly before she grunted in acknowledgement and motioned for the man to follow her. The two walked down the dimly lit hallway, passing various closed doors from which strangely familiar noises could be heard behind the wood.

"So, how goes business?" Orochimaru asked pleasantly as he followed Guren up a flight of stairs. She laughed dryly at his question, turning to peer at him over her shoulder.

"As good as a prostitution business could get, I suppose," she replied and Orochimaru nodded thoughtfully.

"I see you redecorated," he said, motioning the peeling wallpaper with a sinister smirk. Guren growled under her breath at his jabs, stomping the last few steps up and pointing to a door at the end of the hall.

"Kabuto's busy in there. Take your time, it's not like he ever does anything anyway," she grumbled the last bit, waving her hand as she turned to go back down the stairs.

Orochimaru chuckled at her complaints as he walked to the door, knocking on it once to be polite. A soft voice called out an 'Enter' and he pushed through, taking in the sight beyond the door.

Amidst velvety cushions and blankets lay a young man, his silvery hair tied back while his grey eyes roamed over the pages of a book. He was wearing a silky purple shirt and grey slacks, and Orochimaru smirked.

"You're looking more and more like a pimp every day, Kabuto," he greeted and received a soft snort and a sly smirk in return.

"It's good to see you again, Orochimaru," Kabuto said silkily. He looked up and his face went from sly to horrified in seconds. "My God man, what have you done to your hair_?_!" he yelled, jerking upright.

Orochimaru twirled a curl in his fingers, looking offended. "Are you implying my hair doesn't look good?" he asked and Kabuto covered his mouth as if he was afraid to breath and disturb the many curls.

"No...Yes...Shit, it's just not you!" he finished awkwardly, turning away as if the sight hurt his already damaged eyes. Orochimaru huffed angrily, reaching out to grab a hat resting nearby.

He slid it on, feeling the curls bunch up around his ears. "How about this? It hides most of them!" he said irritably, crossing his arms.

Kabuto peeked out from behind his fingers and had the subject not been his hair, Orochimaru may have laughed at how quickly the man went from slightly disgusted to sheet-white and terrified.

"You look like a dark-haired version of the Mad-Hatter!" Kabuto squeaked.

"Okay that's enough!" Orochimaru snapped, his patience gone. "I didn't come here to discuss my hair. Kabuto!" he barked the man's name and immediately the room gained a serious air. Kabuto placed his book down, sighing as he adjusted his glasses and stood up.

"How can I be of service?" he asked smoothly, sliding a hand over his shirt to rid it of a crease he'd gained while sitting.

Orochimaru smiled, pleased with the man's tone and air and he took a seat. "There's recently been several developments in our fair city, and now we're all going all out to try and set things straight. I have come to recruit you for your...exceptional skills."

Kabuto's eyes had widened more and more. "...You want to send me back into the field?" he asked quietly.

"As a spy, an informant and a lookout. You see, as valiant and secret as our agency is, there are just some things we cannot reach as quickly as someone like you could. You've been in the underworld long enough to have a name and power...and while I could say the same about myself, I am needed elsewhere," Orochimaru finished with a smile.

Kabuto stared at him blankly for a moment before looking out the window at the dimming light. A smirk curved his lips as he thought about the offer.

"It would be interesting to see how grotesque the underworld has gotten since I last saw it's darker depths." He turned back to Orochimaru and held out his hand. "It'll be my pleasure to be your little fly on the wall, Orochimaru."

The snake-ish man grinned, grabbing the hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Excellent."

**~ADB~**

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><p><strong>XD SASUKE'S A BIG FAT PIGEON! XD<br>**

**:D So how did you like it? I'm sure the SasuNaruSasu fans were all like 'YAY!' at the kiss? Well...you'll enjoy next chapter even more! ;D**

**And for the few readers who aren't exaclty fans of yaoi, I'll make sure to put in a warning where I think things get a bit more than you'd care to skim read over. Don't worry, I won't blind you. **

**So, there we have that chapter! :D Please remember to leave a review, and look forward to more chapters! I can just tell you...chapter 12 is filled with action and 14 (which I'm working on) has alot too! Chapter 13...ah, that was just a nice chapter when it comes to descriptions (non-perverted btw) so yeah...well, now I'm just rambling.**

**See you all next time! Remember to review!**


	12. Panic at the Disco

**Hello my lovelies! :D How are you all today? Good I hope?**

**Well, here we have the next..episode...of ADB! XD Yes, this is the part that I lost during the whole 'split the chapter' thing. But don't worry, I think that, perhaps, this chapter came out better than the first attempt! ...I hope! D:**

**Now...ahem...the end of this chapter is...a little bit...lemon scented. -listens to squeals of delight from fangirls- Oi, oi! It's just a bit lemon-scented! You should all know by now I don't do the full out lemon-cakes! Just a little tinge here and there, just a whiff or two... And as for those that would rather NOT read it(smell it) I have added an interruption to announce it's arrival, so you can easily just scroll past it to the ending AN, okay? There we go, we accommodate everyone! ^_^ **

**Now, without further ado, here we go!**

**Warnings: Mild violence, language, boyxboy kiss and a whiff of lemony goodness.**

**Disclaimer: already been covered darling.  
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><p>Sasuke sighed in annoyance as he towelled his hair dry, peering out from under the material at the blond standing in his doorway, hands on his hips and a determined look in his eyes.<p>

"So let me get his straight," he said slowly, moving the towel back to have a clear view, "you want to go to a club tonight?"

Naruto nodded, grinning. "Yep!"

"Hn. No," Sasuke grunted and continued drying his hair. Naruto scowled.

"Hn. Yes!" he imitated Sasuke's grunt, returning the icy glare he received with one of his own. "Come on, bastard! I'm tired of watching reruns, you suck at being lazy and it's our last night off before we head out to save the world again! Let's go to a club, have some drinks and maybe dance for a bit or something!" he argued.

Sasuke sent him an irritated scowl but Naruto only sent him a frustrated puppy dog face in reply. The raven grumbled obscenities under his breath, pulling the towel away and wringing it in his hands.

"Okay, how about this," he started, holding up a hand to silence any words Naruto was going to vomit at him, "we can go to a club," he said the word as if it were something unpleasant he found floating in his toilet, "if you agree to shut the hell up for the evening and not bug me about not dancing or whatever."

Naruto frowned for only a moment before grinning and nodding. "Deal! I'll be calm and cool, I won't speak above an accepted volume and I'll even make you breakfast tomorrow morning!" he cheered. Sasuke snorted, shaking his head and running his hand through the damp locks to get rid of a knot.

"No thanks. I don't want food poisoning while I'm scaling a fifty-foot building," he mocked and Naruto gave him the finger but his smile was pleased.

"I'll be back!" he said, turning and leaving the room to go and get his own clothes to change into. Sasuke sighed, wondering what he had just condemned himself to as he sat on his bed, wearing nothing but the loose sweatpants he'd put on after his shower.

Naruto had been on his case the moment he returned home from his jog, demanding that they go out somewhere since Sasuke was a-in Naruto's words- 'useless lazy person' and that their going out would somehow help the harpoon Sasuke allegedly had up his backside.

Scowling at the memory of that little insult, Sasuke whipped the towel back onto his head, slowly rubbing it across the damp spikes while his mind began to wander over the last few days.

There had been so many new developments in his life lately, he was still disbelieving over half of them. And so much of it was all because of the blond currently changing in his living room.

Since he'd become partner with Naruto, things had been turned upside down and inside out. Two months ago he was Agent Sharingan, the most efficient loner agent in the entire agency with a one hundred percent success rate and who was a straight man.

Now he was Agent 'Duck-Butt' Sharingan, a not-so-efficient partner with a lucky success rate and an injury count that was higher than he'd ever had, and to make matters worse...he was starting to feel a bit on the rainbow side of the sexuality spectrum.

He had, by now, acknowledged that he held an attraction to Naruto. And it was more than that of a friendship. But what would he call Naruto? A partner? Co-worker? Friend? Or something more?

He wasn't even sure what he wanted to call Naruto. The attraction he felt had left him confused. Sure, he was physically attracted to the man, though Sasuke still tried to deny it on occasion purely for the sake of his sanity, but what if he acted on it?

What if he told Naruto about his desires?

If he didn't end up on a stretcher with Naruto walking away in disgust and instead things took a pleasant turn, would it just be a one-time thing? Did Sasuke want it to be a one-time thing or would he want more?

He wasn't even sure of his own desires, and it was driving him crazy. He didn't know his own wants; that was just annoying. How could he not know what he wanted? He was the one that wanted it, right? So surely he should know what '_it'_ was! But no, he was still undecided on his own thoughts and desires.

Sometimes he wondered if things would be better if he'd never had Naruto as a partner.

However, every time that thought crossed his mind, a little voice reminded him that Naruto had saved his life. If Naruto had not been there, he may well have died at the first gunshot from Deidara the Bombing Psychopath. And even if Sasuke had pulled a miracle out of his backside and escaped from there alive, there was no guarantee he would've lived through the other missions. If he'd been in the elevator alone, he would've died.

Then again, perhaps he wouldn't have been shot if he wasn't protecting Naruto.

He growled in his throat. It was all so confusing and contradicting and it was driving him absolutely nuts! He just didn't know how to proceed anymore! Should he continue to squash the ever growing emotions over Naruto or perhaps try to embrace them? He'd already, in some ways, accepted them. Of course, that just made things worse since they surfaced even more often now that he acknowledged their existence.

"Okay, let's—" Naruto trailed off, hand on the doorknob as he noticed Sasuke was just sitting on his bed, staring into space while his towel sat upon his damp hair. He saw the way that the Uchiha's expressions shifted, his eyes darkening and lighting and his eyebrows tilting or furrowing every now and then.

'_Just judging by his expression, it seems he is in deep thought over a very complicated matter. My guess is...his gayness. And perhaps the stick up his ass,_' he thought the last bit with a smirk and stepped into the room, making his way over to the raven. He stood before the man, letting his hand plop onto the towel and begin to sweep it over the dark hair.

Sasuke snapped out of his musings and immediately began to struggle and curse the blond, but Naruto only laughed.

"Now now, Sasuke, you shouldn't leave your hair wet! You could catch a cold, and we all know how easy bastards can catch a cold!" he said cheerfully, completely ignoring the punches aimed at his stomach. Unfortunately for Sasuke, it was Hulk-Hour and Naruto didn't feel anything but a brief pressure.

Sasuke fought valiantly, delivering several punches and even a double-fist attack to Naruto's lower abdomen but it was to no avail. Finally realizing that Naruto was under the effects of the virus, Sasuke gave up and sat there with a snarl on his face.

"You idiot."

Naruto just grinned, finishing his work. He pulled the towel away, sweeping his hand through the air.

"Ta-daa!"

Sasuke stood up, grabbing the towel and shoving it in Naruto's face before he made his way to his closet, ignoring the laughing man behind him. He pulled out a pair of black jeans and a blue-button up shirt. Naruto was dressed in his new orange shirt and blue jeans with a dark brown jacket. Sasuke grabbed his own black jacket, sliding it on.

"Come on, let's get this over with," he groaned and Naruto pumped his fists into the air.

"Awesome! Clubbing here we come!"

"Idiot."

**~ADB~**

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><p>They had looked online to find a club; well they had after Sasuke finished beating Naruto with a book after he opened his laptop to find it set on a porn-site upon loading. Naruto had just about busted his gut laughing at Sasuke's reaction, but he apologized profusely when Sasuke had dropped the book and grabbed his chair instead. Once they got over that, the managed to locate a club that wasn't too far away and that had a high rating.<p>

Sasuke called a cab while Naruto mourned the fact that his phone was dead and he had to leave it behind to charge. Soon they were in the cab, discussing various things until they arrived at the club.

It was a dark and intimidating structure. The large double doors were guarded by two burly bouncers who stood upon their pedestals, staring down at the crowd milling around. A large, blood-red neon sign was set atop the building, showing the words 'The Red Sand' upon the detailed visage of a large scorpion.

The two managed to get into the line heading in, pleased to find that they got in rather fast since most of the crowd were underage. Naruto offered a pleasant smile to the bouncers who only stared at him with a look of utter disdain.

"Man, those guys need to get laid," the blond murmured as they stepped into the building and Sasuke snorted at the comment.

They stepped forward and paused to take in the sight before them.

The club was mainly just a giant hall that had been fashioned to suit its design. An archway of potted palm-trees was set up a few paces away from the entrance doors. Beyond that, there were three shallow steps to the dance floor, which took up most of the floor. Red tile shone in the flashing lights and in the very centre of the floor was a circular platform that held the DJ booth and two giant speakers on either side of it. Similar speakers were stationed at the four corners around the dance floor. There was a type of divider just behind the DJ booth, obviously to provide a section for the DJ to walk to the backrooms without having to fight through the crowds. Beyond the red tiles, two staircases were visible. They cut into the wall, vanishing up and inwards in the wall, obviously leading to the large balcony section that could be seen. The rich red carpet of the stairs looked like a bloody waterfall in the brightly lit staircase. Tables, couches and a dimly lit bar were set up on the balcony, and right behind that was the window. It was large and wide, giving everyone a view of the sky and the moon, as well as the parking lot behind the building where guests could park their cars and keep an eye on them. Thick, electronic panels could be seen on either side of the window, obviously there to close when it was daytime.

Naruto's attention was most drawn to the large strobe light hovering above the dance floor, just above the DJ booth. It was a large structure fashioned to look like a magnificent red scorpion, its pincers held out threateningly and its stinger poised to strike. Lights shone from the tips of its legs, pincers and the main light was at the tip of its stinger, the bright rays shining down through the body of the scorpion which was made of various red shades of glass, creating a crystalline effect on the floor below.

Naruto let out an impressed whistle. "Damn! This place is epic! It just makes you feel the danger, you know?" he said. Sasuke grunted in response, eyes automatically roving over the crowd gathered on the dance floor. It looked like things had only just started to pick up as there weren't too many people yet.

Naruto wasn't joking when he spoke about the sense of danger. The moment he'd stepped through the door, Sasuke had felt on edge and alert. Something about the club just felt...wrong. It was as if he was missing something. And he felt like he was being watched. Naruto took several steps forward, standing in the archway and looking out at the area in awe. Sasuke stood behind him, his eyes scanning the area while his body got more and more tense.

'_Something's wrong,_' he thought, and his eyes caught movement behind him. He snapped his head around and his eyes narrowed at seeing the two bouncers from before closing the doors and bolting them. He felt a stare on him and turned once more, his attention drawn to the DJ booth. The man was staring right back at him, one hand pressing against the earphone on his ear while the other hand stopped scratching the records and instead hung by his side and out of sight. Finally Sasuke noticed the growing shadows on the balcony, indicating people were gathering there.

Naruto could feel how tense Sasuke was and he turned concerned eyes to the man. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, reaching out to touch Sasuke's shoulder. Pale pink lips parted.

"Kyuubi..."

Naruto's eyes widened and then a voice rang out above the music, enhanced by a microphone.

"Well well, what have we here? Two little ants wandering into a scorpions nest?" a horribly familiar voice sounded.

Both agents snapped their attention to the balcony, seeing the figure of a person that set them on edge.

"Sasori..." Naruto breathed and the red-head's smirk was visible even at this distance.

"It looks like it's our lucky night," he whispered, licking his lips while he played with a coin in his fingers. He stared directly at the two men before directing his next words to his gathered henchmen. "Kill them both."

The first gunshot cracked through the air like lightning and the people on the dance floor began to scream and make a mad dash for the exit. The two agents ducked before rushing opposite sides, taking cover behind the large palms. They ducked down, covering their heads when bark and splinters showered over them from bullets smashing into the trees.

The people panicked more and more, slamming into the doors but they were locked. The noise was deafening, and Sasuke held a hand up to his ear. The bouncers were trying to fight past the crowds but with little success it seemed.

Naruto swallowed thickly, wincing as another shot slammed into the tree he was hiding behind. Taking a chance he darted to the side, rolling across the floor and narrowly avoiding a spray of bullets. He quickly stood up next to Sasuke, his shoulder touching the raven's as they both hid behind a tree.

"What're we going to do_!_?" Naruto yelled above the noise.

"We need to get out of here!" Sasuke yelled back, and then he cursed and pulled Naruto down when a bullet hit the pot and porcelain shards rained over them. Naruto looked up, peering out from the hiding spot only to duck back again rapidly when more bullets were flung his way. The DJ had a shotgun and was doing most of the firing while all the gunmen on the balcony had pistols or what looked to be machine guns.

Naruto moved to peer out the other side, his eyes landing on the divide that offered a path from the DJ booth and back. It was partially covered and had a clear path to the booth.

He tugged on Sasuke's arm, letting the raven see the path. They both stared at each other, understanding what needed to be done.

"I'll be the decoy. I'm a fast runner," Naruto said. Sasuke grabbed his arm before he could move.

"I'm more agile than you! I can dodge the shots better, I should be the decoy," he argued as the beginnings of Welcome to the Jungle began to play. Naruto shook his head.

"You're agility is what'll make you the best suited to get to the booth! I'm the decoy, that's it!" he said firmly and then he ran out of the cover. "Over here you warthogs!" he roared, though most of it was lost due to the blasting music.

Sasuke cursed, bolting out the opposite way and running while crouched to avoid being seen for as long as he could. The gunmen were focused on Naruto, shots being fired at him as he sprinted across the dance floor. He took cover behind one of the large speakers at the corner of the floor and crouched down, covering his ears and yelling in pain when the speaker squealed loudly after bullets smashed into it.

The gunmen were distracted by the noise and Sasuke took the chance. He raced towards the booth, taking a running leap and vaulting over the back of the platform. He brought his leg around in a powerful sweeping kick which collided with the side of the DJ's head, sending the man skidding off the platform and falling onto the dance floor, out cold. Sasuke grabbed the shotgun he'd dropped and spun around, firing a spray towards the balcony and scattering the gathered men.

He jumped and ran over to where Naruto was crouching, grabbing his arm and pulling him up.

"Come on! We need to get to the exit! It'll be by the staff rooms!" he yelled above the loud squealing of the speaker and the music still blaring from the others. They bolted towards the large black metal doors set between the staircases where the staff rooms would be and Sasuke made sure to fire a covering shot towards the balcony again.

Naruto reached out, ready to grab the handle and open the door when movement met his eyes to the left. Reflex made him jump and run up the wall, hearing bullets slam a trail after him before he pushed off and flipped, landing besides Sasuke who aimed and took out the gunman standing on the stairs.

Naruto once again ran to the door, only to bounce back when it didn't budge. He growled, shaking the handle with force but to no avail.

"It's locked!" he roared, stepping back and kicking at the door repeatedly in an attempt to break it open. Sasuke joined him, slamming his foot against the door alongside Naruto to try and get it to budge but it just wouldn't move.

Naruto let out a stream of curses in various tongues, slamming his fist on the door. There was another shot and the two stood back to back, Sasuke shooting the attacker. Movement caught Naruto's eye and he turned to see a gunman running down the stairs on the right.

"Sharingan!"

His tone was all Sasuke needed to know and he swung his arms back and over Naruto's shoulders, presenting him with the shotgun. Naruto took it, firing a clean shot and handing it back to Sasuke as the gunman fell down the last few steps, dead as a doornail. The blond ran over to him, grabbing the two pistols he'd been clutching. He knew he needed guns if he was going to get through this night alive.

He ran back over to Sasuke, wiping away some sweat.

"What's the plan now?" he yelled upon stopping.

Sasuke cursed, gripping his hair and looking at the locked door. Never had they been so unprepared before. They always had some sort of weapon stashed away, or a back-up plan but not this time. The closest they'd ever been to this sort of situation was when they'd been captured in Sasori's enterprise. But things were different now.

There was no mysterious shadow to help them out of this.

"We need equipment!" he blurted out, overwhelmed with how unprepared they were.

"Well we don't have any! So what'll we do?" Naruto snapped and Sasuke closed his eyes, his mind racing as he tried to think of a plan. A thought occurred to him and he opened his mouth to tell Naruto only to freeze when the blond was inches from his face. He was about to push the man away and yell about personal space when his ears rang with the sound of two shots being fired right beside them. Naruto stepped back, lowering his guns and Sasuke turned to see two black-clad men falling down the stairs.

He exhaled slowly, turning to look at the blond. "Nice shot," he said and Naruto's lips twitched briefly.

"Thanks," he said, "Now what's the plan?"

"Right," Sasuke reached back, fishing in his pocket and pulling out his phone. He'd only remembered now that he had it. Flipping it open he growled angrily at seeing he was almost out of battery life.

"I can only send a text, but I'll tell Kakashi what's happening so he can send back-up. We'll have to find a way out before they arrive or it'll cause complications for Kakashi to handle this mess without getting into trouble with the police force. Maybe we can smash through the window," he said as he began to type frantically on the small keypad.

Naruto kept an eye out while Sasuke worked. Music was still blaring loudly, filling his ears and throbbing through his body like a liquid bass. It seemed that the enemies were making new plans, as no more gunshots were fired. Naruto didn't like the way it was, he could tell that something was wrong.

"Hurry—" he was cut off, letting out a choked cry when he felt something wrap around his neck and yank him backwards off his feet. Sasuke had just pressed send when he saw Naruto grab at his throat and topple backwards. His phone fell from his hands and he jumped forwards, grabbing the blond.

Naruto was clawing at his throat where he could feel a wire was squeezing. Sasuke was atop him, his fingers frantically pressing around Naruto's throat until he managed to get a grip and pull. Blood trickled down as he yanked at the thin wire but finally it seemed to withdraw and Naruto gasped for air, coughing as Sasuke pulled up, his onyx eyes searching for the source.

He caught sight of light reflecting off another thin wire. With a yell he grabbed Naruto and rolled them both to the right, avoiding the deadly projectile as it whipped the spot they were before. His arms were wrapped around Naruto's shoulders as he continued to roll them to a safe spot. He stopped at the edge of the dance floor, lying atop the blond. Naruto held out his arm, shooting a round at the edge of the balcony and striking the only man still standing there.

"I think the others have moved to come in at a different entrance," he said into Sasuke's ear and the other nodded, quickly climbing to his feet and pulling Naruto up too.

"Fuck this shit," Naruto gasped, a hand coming to rub at his throat. "We need to get out of here!"

Sasuke nodded. "Let's head for the balcony—"

As he spoke the metal doors they had tried to get through previously burst open, soon accompanied by the sound of heavy gunfire.

"RUN!"

Sasuke's yell was met with movement from both sides. As the two agents sprinted for the stairs, the group of heavily armed guards were filing out, shooting at them with what appeared to be AK-47's. Bits of plaster, wood and stair railing exploded around them as they made a mad dash for safety above. Naruto fired back, as did Sasuke, but they were running out of ammo with little chance of getting more.

"Give me a lift!" Naruto suddenly yelled, and Sasuke turned on instinct, crouching and offering his hands as a boost as he had at the party where Gaara was kidnapped. Naruto jumped, and Sasuke pushed him up before allowing his head to follow the blond and see what he was doing. His eyes widened when he saw Naruto grab onto one of the hanging light fixtures just at the entrance to the stairs. Knowing what the blond planned to do, Sasuke rushed to reach the top before he got caught in the mess.

He dived and rolled just as he heard the loud creak of metal and Naruto landed a few feet beside him on the balcony as the light fixture fell down, crashing on the top stair with an ear splitting shatter. The electric lights sparked and the carpeted stairs were aflame in seconds, a small barrier being formed. The gunmen cried out as they reached the top only to run back down to avoid the fiery trap.

Sasuke rolled onto his stomach, looking at the temporary reprieve and turned his head, grinning at Naruto. "Nice thinking," he breathed and Naruto grinned back.

"Heh," he huffed smugly, pushing himself up. "I told you I was good," he finished. Sasuke shook his head with a smile, but his expression faded when he saw shadows approaching from the other staircase.

"Find cover!" he ordered, rushing to the side and ducking behind a table. Naruto did the same at a table two paces away, pressing himself against it and catching his breath. They heard the heavy steps of the oncoming attackers before the sounds of gunfire deafened them. They stayed still behind their covers as bullets riddled the floor and smashed into the tables around them and the chairs. A plate exploded off of Naruto's table, a shard of glass slicing across his cheek and nose, dangerously close to his eye, yet he didn't make a sound or move an inch.

Sasuke himself tensed his muscles as a chair was blown off balance by a spray of bullets and splinters of wood bounced off his legs as it landed too close.

Suddenly all gunfire stopped, and the two agents shared a confused look. Sasuke was the one that braved a glance around his table. It seemed most of the gunmen were reloading while a few others were lowering their guns, seemingly believing that they had done the job.

Turning back to Naruto he smirked and nodded. The blond nodded back, a small grin on his face.

In unison they stood up, whirling around and firing the rest of their ammo at the attackers. Several black-clad men fell to the ground with screams of pain while others jumped and crouched, shooting randomly in a panic.

Sasuke vaulted over his table and rushed for the nearest one, leaping into the air and bringing down his heel to smash into the man's face. A crunch was heard and blood spurted out of the person's nose while a pair of black shades shattered into two parts. The man slumped forwards and Sasuke grabbed him, turning him around and using his body as a shield from a spurt of bullets directed his way. He strafed to the right, feeling the heavy body in his arms jerking violently as more and more bullets pierced the flesh.

There was a loud scream of pain and most of the heads, including Sasuke's, turned to see Naruto jumping over the bleeding body of another man who had a large shard of broken ceramic plate stuck in his neck. Naruto slid across the marble floor, bringing his leg up and letting it collide against the first attackers head. He went flying over the railing with a yell before he crashed down onto the DJ booth, the sounds of circuits frying flesh cutting off the loud music briefly before it resumed playing.

Sasuke took the opportunity to throw his human shield at the closest attacker, at the same time grabbing the gun from the dead man's shoulder. As the corpse knocked down one man, he opened fire on the others, gunning down three of them before they gained enough sense to duck out of the way. A sudden echo of his gunfire made him look to Naruto who had obtained his own gun and was copying his actions, further driving the men into hiding.

"Come on Kyuubi! Let's go!" Sasuke yelled, backing away towards the window. Naruto yelled an affirmation, moving to follow him. He sprayed a few more bullets after the men who finally retreated back down the stairs and turned.

"SASUKE!"

Sasuke heard Naruto scream his name before he felt something collide with his head. Yelling in pain, he whirled around, pulling the gun up only to feel it get yanked out of his hand. His eyes adjusted and he saw Sasori standing nearby, his hands outstretched as several thin chords of wire whirred through the air around him. His gun was caught in one and it was yanked into the man's hands.

Sasuke cursed, jumping back to avoid getting shot.

Naruto ran forwards, pulling his weapon up. "Get away from him!" he roared, his finger already pressing on the trigger. The sound of wire springing into action was his only warning before something slashed across his face. He cried out as his eyes were almost struck, having just closed them in time. He stumbled back a few feet only to trip and fall on his back when something wrapped around his ankles.

Sasuke growled as he saw Naruto go down, his fists clenching tightly as Sasori turned his eyes back to him. The red head flicked his wrist, and the coil of wire that had wrapped around Naruto's ankles broke away from the mechanism attached to his wrists.

"Sasuke, was it?" Sasori drawled slowly, taking a casual step forward. "Funny name that...I'm sure it belonged to an Uchiha, did it not?" he asked coldly.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he tensed, raising his hands in a fighting stance, fingers clawed. "Hn."

Sasori raised an eyebrow. "Uchiha indeed," he murmured. "You and your blond lackey have done enough damage to my organization. It's time you went out of the picture for good." His hands lifted up, palms towards the floor while his fingers spread out. "I'm going to enjoy slicing you to bits. And then I'll get to work draining the blood from your friend over there. He might be valuable, after all."

Sasuke's glare was more heated than the sun. "Over my dead body, you shit-faced dwarf," he snarled before launching forward, shoes pounding against the marble floor. He was heading for Sasori straight on, but just as he got in range and saw the man's hands move in defence, he diverted to the side, skidding across the floor and knocking shards of glass and wood aside before rushing forward, his fist slicing through the air in a clear shot for Sasori's side.

Just before his fist made contact, Sasori whirled around, and a wire wrapped around Sasuke's wrist forcing it away. He yanked his wrist back and slipped it out of the wire. Sasori jumped back in time to avoid his windmill kick and delivered a swift jab to the stomach himself. Sasuke slid back along the floor, one arm wrapping around his stomach while he coughed at the winded feeling. Gaining his air supplies again he ducked to the side to avoid a wire shooting for his neck.

As he moved out of the way he reached out, snagging the wire with his fingers. In a quick move he wrapped it around his fingers securely and pulled. Sasori wasn't expecting the tug and stumbled forwards.

Sasuke dashed for him and rammed his arm straight into the shorter man's neck, making him fall onto his back with a choked cry.

Looming over the man on the ground Sasuke pulled at the wires, feeling them slice his finger a bit but he was satisfied when he saw the mechanisms attached to Sasori's wrists spark before smoke began to rise. He'd broken them.

Sasori glared up at him as Sasuke stamped a foot on his chest, keeping him down. "You agents...you may have defeated me but you won't bring down our organization," he snarled and then growled when Sasuke stepped on his chest harder, the crack of a rib breaking cutting the growl short.

"Hn. That's where you're wrong," Sasuke said calmly. "You so-called villains never learn. The bad guys never win."

Sasori's glare sharpened before his bloodied lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "What about the bad guy who killed your family?" he whispered and Sasuke's face immediately darkened. Sasori snickered coldly before crying out in agony when Sasuke stomped on his chest extra hard, breaking more ribs and winding him.

"I will find him. And when I do, I will tell him the same thing before I end his pitiful existence," Sasuke whispered venomously.

Through his pain, Sasori grinned. "Oh, I doubt it...little _Uchiha_," he strained out the name before coughing, blood spurting out and speckling across his cheek. His head thumped down while his eyes rolled back and he passed out from pain.

Sasuke stood over him, glaring down at the man before him. He slowly removed his foot, standing with his fists clenched. Something was crawling in the back of his mind; a nagging feeling of dread that told him something was wrong, amiss. That there was something he needed to know.

A low groan reached his ears and he looked up. Cursing, he rushed over to where Naruto was lying, looking disorientated.

"Agent! Are you okay?" Sasuke asked, sliding to his knees beside the blond and hoisting him up by his shoulders, holding him up in his arms.

Naruto groaned again, an arm gingerly coming to feel the back of his head. "Yeah...I hit my head pretty hard. I think I blacked out for a few seconds even. What happened?" he asked, looking around and spotting Sasori lying several feet away, out cold and bleeding. "Shit Uchiha, what'd you do?"

"Hn. I kicked his ass," Sasuke said smugly and Naruto grinned cheekily.

"Only because I distracted him for you," he joked and Sasuke snorted as he helped the other to his feet.

"Come on. We'd better get out of here. Kakashi will be arriving with a team shortly and it's better if we're not here while he cleans up the mess. No doubt he'll give us an earful when we go back tomorrow," he grunted, walking beside Naruto as they headed for the stairs.

Naruto chuckled at the thought, limping slightly due to his ankle getting twisted when Sasori wired it earlier. They trudged down the stairs that weren't aflame and headed to the open metal doors that lead into the back rooms. It seemed as though the rest of the staff and guards had already high tailed it out of there, undoubtedly scared now that their boss was taken out.

They saw the exit and sighed with relief, stepping out into the cold night air. It had started to rain, the small droplets feeling like heaven on their heated skin after all the fighting. They were in a back alley, but they could hear the sirens out near the front of the club. As they walked past a branching alley that led to the front, they caught sight of Kakashi dressed in a police uniform, looking stern and imposing as he ordered the other 'policemen' around while men dressed in black discreetly carried in gadgets used for scanning, containment and evidence.

"Wow...This might sound," Naruto grunted when his ankle jolted and he leant against the wall for some support while Sasuke slowed his steps, standing slightly ahead of the blond. "This might sound really weird, but I cannot wait to climb into your bed."

Sasuke blinked, and Mochi soon sprang up in his mind, yelling various versions of the phrase that could be interpreted wrongly. His cheeks heated slightly but thankfully the rain covered it. Instead he snorted and smirked.

"Hn. Come on, let's hurry," he said, motioning for Naruto to hurry as he went on ahead. The blond was massaging his ankle, trying to sooth some of the annoying ache. He waved his own hand at Sasuke, indicating he would catch up in a moment.

Sasuke shook his head, continuing on around the corner. He was about to shove his hands into his pockets when he looked up and all thought and oxygen left him.

Standing halfway down the alley, soaked to the bone from the rain and yet still looking as elegant and imposing as ever...

"...Itachi..." Sasuke breathed, his eyes wide and vulnerable. "..B-brother..."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Itachi stared at him blankly, his long hair plastered to his face and streams of water caressing the stress lines he sported. He was wearing a sleek black button-up shirt that clung to his skin and a pair of white slacks that hugged his form now that they were wet. One hand was hooked in his pocket casually while the other hung by his side, clutching a dark, metallic object.<p>

"Hn. Hello," Itachi's voice was deeper than he remembered but Sasuke was distracted from that fact by the iciness of his tone. The small bead of hope that had been forming in his heart at seeing his brother alive was crushed under a sudden horrific realization at Itachi's next words, "My foolish little brother."

Sasuke's eyes were so wide it was a miracle they didn't fall out of his skull. His skin paled as Itachi's loose arm raised, the glint of a gun catching in the faintest hint of light from above while the rain continued to pour down. He barely registered his own breathing, which had sped up to a level that was considered hyperventilation.

"Brother..." he said again, the word like a plea as he looked straight into Itachi's eyes. It was disturbing, how the rain almost made it appear as if the man was crying, yet his eyes were cold and empty. _Deadly_.

"Hn."

Sasuke didn't even hear the first gunshot. He didn't really feel the bullet that hit his side. His body stumbled back, his hands coming to clutch at the area out of reflex but his eyes never left Itachi's blank face. He saw the pale finger pressing the trigger again, this time aiming straight for his head.

'_I'm going to die...He's going to kill me...Itachi is going to kill me..._' despite this realization, he couldn't bring himself to move. A second shot was fired, and Sasuke could literally see the bullet zooming straight for his head, right between his eyes. He waited for the hit to come, waited for the sight before him to be replaced with an infinite darkness.

But it never came.

His vision was instead replaced by the full body of his blond haired partner as Naruto threw himself in the way of the bullet. Sound rushed back to his ears in the form of Naruto yelling out as the bullet slammed against his chest. And with sound came pain and fear. His heart was beating while his hands clutched tighter at his side, trying to stop the blood.

He tried to call out to Naruto but he didn't need to. The blond hadn't fallen. Instead, Naruto was charging towards Itachi with a loud roar, his hands grabbing the side of a dumpster. Sasuke could barely register amazement as the large metal container flew through the air towards his brother, crashing to the ground just as the older Uchiha slipped out of sight down another alleyway.

Naruto didn't waste his time going after the other man, instead turning back and rushing over to Sasuke. There was blood on his shirt, but the tear showed that the bullet wound wasn't nearly as serious as it should've been. '_Sasuke's reflexes must have kicked in at the last second! He must've managed to dodge it even a bit!_' he thought frantically.

"The virus," Sasuke mumbled to himself, his voice delirious. "Itachi...he shot me..."

"Sasuke!" Naruto's voice was loud in his ear but he didn't answer. His mind was in pieces as he tried to process what had just happened. His brother..his brother was alive. His brother was alive and grown up and holding a gun...and shooting him! His brother was trying to kill him!

"He tried to kill me! He tried to kill me!" he started to repeat the phrase, voice rising in pitch and intensity until he was almost shrieking it, the only thing stopping him from doing just that was Naruto's hand over his mouth as he was hoisted into the blond's arms.

Naruto took off, running through the rain at a speed that wasn't normal. He carried Sasuke as though the man weighed the same as a small child in the arms of a body builder. Sasuke was still clutching his own wound, blood soaking through his shirt and mixing with the rain.

"He tried to kill me!"

"Sasuke, snap out of it!" Naruto yelled. The rain had gotten worse, making it difficult to see but he managed to find his way back to Sasuke's apartment. Time seemed to have sped up as it hadn't felt that long since they were in the alleyway, but there was no way he had gotten to Sasuke's apartment in under ten minutes. Or maybe he had somehow? He wasn't sure what the effects of the virus were like when grouped with an adrenaline rush instilled by panic and fear.

He raced into the lobby, noting with relief that Stone wasn't anywhere to be seen at the moment. He didn't want to have to deal with any questioning.

He ran up the stairs rather than taking the elevator and rushed down the hall to Sasuke's apartment door. Sasuke had gone into a state of shock, his eyes permanently glued open while he rambled on in a low voice about his brother and guns and getting shot and death. Naruto fumbled to get the keys from Sasuke's pockets but he finally managed and got the door open, slamming it shut behind them.

He dropped Sasuke onto the couch, and the movement seemed to snap him out of his ramble long enough to let out a shout of pain.

"Fuck!"

Naruto knelt down and pulled Sasuke's shirt off so he could see how bad the wound was. It was a deep graze but it seemed that it wasn't something he couldn't take care of. The biggest problem was the bleeding.

"Okay, I'm going to get the medical kit! I'll be right back!" Naruto said, jumping up and running to the bathroom. He was in such a hurry he missed the way Sasuke tried to grab his arm and stop him from leaving.

When Naruto was out of sight, Sasuke broke down. He clutched at his head, his eyes wide and wild as he finally started to make sense of things.

'_Itachi is alive. He's been alive this entire time! He's been alive and he hasn't tried to look for me...he was alive but he tried to kill me. Does that mean that he...that he was the one...did he kill mom and dad? Was it him all along?'_ the idea of his beloved big brother being the one responsible for the death of his family was like a ten ton boulder being smashed against his body. He cried out, fisting the material of the couch as he writhed in a physical pain that was both from the gun wound and from his sudden revelation. He felt sick to his stomach, and the urge to throw up was overwhelming. He gagged, slapping a bloodied hand over his mouth. Tears were starting to leak from his eyes, out of frustration and fear and sadness. They stained his cheeks on the way down.

Steps thudded closer and then Naruto was back, skidding to a halt beside the couch and frantically ripping out bandages.

"Sasuke, hold still! I need to get this to stop bleeding!" he yelled, but Sasuke wasn't listening. He was hyperventilating as images of his brother shooting at him, shooting his sweet mother and his stern father...images of his brother covered in the blood of his own family assaulted his mind. He couldn't breathe anymore; his lungs refused to take in air.

"Sasuke! Sasuke snap out of it!" Naruto yelled frantically, pulling the man to lie flat so he could get a bandage around his stomach. Sasuke struggled but Naruto used the strength of the virus to hold him down and finish wrapping the bandage around him. He let go and Sasuke started to writhe again, looking genuinely terrified of something that wasn't there.

Naruto yelled at him to calm down, but it seemed like Sasuke couldn't hear him. He was growing desperate, his chest aching at seeing Sasuke in so much pain. He needed to do something!

A light clicked on in his mind and he grabbed Sasuke's shoulders.

"Calm down!" he yelled again, giving it one more try. Sasuke just started to shake his head, saying something about betrayal and family and Naruto held his wrists tighter before sweeping in.

Sasuke froze as he felt lips connect with his and his thoughts ground to a halt as Naruto pressed closer, moving his lips gently and soothingly over his own. His hands shook in the blond's hold before he pushed back, closing his eyes and biting at Naruto's lip harshly. Naruto winced, the effects of the virus beginning to wear off. He didn't pull away though, knowing that Sasuke wasn't in a good state of mind yet. But his plan seemed to be working somewhat.

When Sasuke had stopped biting at his lip he pulled back, licking at the beads of blood that were forming while Sasuke panted heavily in front of him, his eyes unfocused. He stared at the Uchiha, searching for a sign that he had done something right to ease the man's mind.

Sasuke was still trying to register what had happened. He had been panicking over his brother and then it had all gone away. What made it go away?

He looked up, his eyes clearing and focusing on Naruto's face. Or more specifically on his lips. They were bleeding and swollen and Sasuke licked his own, tasting the familiar taste of Naruto's blood.

He stared into the blue eyes searching his face, and his hands reached out, grabbing Naruto's head and pulling him forwards roughly, slamming their lips together again. He needed this.

**(We interrupt this broadcast to make this announcement! : All non-yaoi fans, and all who cannot handle more than a kiss, please scroll to the Author's Note here! Thank you!)**

**~ADB~  
><strong>

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><p>Naruto grunted in surprise as he was pulled back down into another, fiercer kiss. Sasuke was devouring his mouth viciously and he could only close his eyes and take the abuse, noting that it wasn't all too bad. He reached up his own hands, placing them on top of Sasuke's in an attempt to calm him down. It worked because soon Sasuke was no longer biting him, but rather licking his lips in an apologetic and sorrowful manner. He kissed back gently, as if saying 'it's alright, everything is alright' and let Sasuke invade his mouth.<p>

As their tongues got acquainted, Sasuke pushed Naruto back until he was lying on the floor with Sasuke hovering over him, a wet and pale hand sliding under the soggy orange t-shirt and caressing the injury on his chest. Naruto jerked a bit when Sasuke's fingers dipped into the shallow wound and it caused their teeth to clack together harshly, making Sasuke pull away briefly with a hiss. He stared down at Naruto, eyes glazed while Naruto caught his breath and stared back with a vision only slightly more cleared than his.

No words were needed for them to communicate in that moment. Sasuke's eyes screamed it all and Naruto only sighed, reaching down to hold Sasuke's hand and guide it away from his wound, leading it across his abdomen before finally, hesitantly, letting it rest above his crotch. Sasuke's eyes had followed the movement but now they swept back up to him and Naruto smiled at the hesitance. It was as if Sasuke was saying 'are you sure this is okay with you?'

"...It's alright," he murmured softly and Sasuke nodded minutely before leaning back down to claim Naruto in another kiss. His hand rubbed against the fabric slowly at first and then gaining speed, feeling the contents beneath with a growing excitement. Sasuke knew that, come morning, he was going to maybe regret how far he was taking this. He was going to regret how he panicked and had to rely on Naruto to calm down in a way that was intimate and unstable for the both of them. But he also knew that, no matter what excuses he may come up with or what his pride would make him say, he would never regret being this close to Naruto. He would never regret this chance to confront those confusing emotions regarding the blond head on and finally, finally see just where they were taking him.

Naruto's breathing had picked up as Sasuke's hand stopped its massaging only to unbutton his jeans, slide inside and continue it from there. He turned his head, clenching his jaw as he took this time to really think about this. It wasn't too late to turn back; to stop this from happening. He knew that Sasuke would probably regret it in the morning, and would probably try to deny ever wanting it even though it was so obvious that he did want it. That he even needed it.

He gasped as Sasuke started to bite at his neck and struggled to maintain his clear thoughts as Sasuke's hand moved more aggressively.

'_The real question right now is...do I want it?_' he thought before throwing his head back with a groan as Sasuke increased his pace. He looked up as Sasuke pulled back and he saw the look in his eyes. It was the look of an insecure child, unsure if the treat he was offered was really for him and not just a cruel trick crafted by a mean elder. It was the look of a man who'd suffered and was looking for consolation. It was the look of a person who was finally being allowed a privilege that they had denied themselves for a time.

And Naruto had his answer.

'_Yes. I want this._'

It was uncomfortable, being on the floor. Every time he twitched or arched his back, his head would thump against the wood or his elbows would knock against the planks. He would hiss, or bite down on Sasuke's lips and it would only derail whatever pace they had going. Finally, Sasuke had seemed to have had enough of the distractions. He was the first to stand on shaking legs, the first to drag Naruto up and lead him down the pitch black hall. Neither of them had thought to turn on a light, having been accustomed to the dark already.

When they reached the bedroom, it was Sasuke who was pushed onto the bed. Despite his surprise, he yielded under Naruto's onslaught of affection, returning his kisses and touches with his own.

It was a strange mix they found themselves in. There was a definite edge of desperation to everything that Sasuke did; his impatient tugs and disgruntled sounds as he tried to get Naruto to do something. But Naruto was slow and calm, tender in what he did and careful with how he proceeded. It was almost as if their roles had been reversed under the influence of lust. Sasuke was the brash one who went ahead without thinking while Naruto took his time to assess things before diving in to claim the benefits of his patience.

A war had been waged between them once all items of wet clothing had been stripped bare, leaving them on the dampened sheets with the remains of rain clinging to their newly heated skin. Now, under this new pressure, things had gotten wilder, hotter, and fiercer. There was less gentle touching and more aggressive nudges. A fight was held, where the weapons were heated exchanges of skin or heavily panted orders and requests rather than guns or fists and soon they were reaching the point of no return.

Sasuke was lost in everything as he pushed Naruto down against the mattress, gripping the tan wrists tightly as he laid a claim to the man like no other before, his body moving of its own accord as thighs squeezed around his hips and curses were muttered against his ears as he drove forward again and again. All the panic he'd felt before at seeing Itachi again was gone, replaced with a sense of calm that was achieved through the knowledge that Naruto was here, giving into him with a level of trust that was not to be taken lightly.

And Sasuke returned it in fair trade, closing his eyes as he surrendered himself to Naruto. His mind was clear enough now to know that things were going to be difficult come morning. They weren't going to be able to forget about this no matter what they did. And Sasuke was surprised to find that he was content with that. He didn't want to forget. He wanted to remember everything. There was something happening here that was more than just the sensations or the seeking of comfort. A new bond was being formed; one that he hadn't seen coming and one that he hadn't realized he was missing.

By the end of it all, they were both lying under the sheets, twice spent and with their chests heaving as they tried to supply air to their sobbing lungs. Naruto was worse off than he was; Sasuke hadn't been gentle when he'd taken him, unlike Naruto who had been like a sleepy kitten in his actions. The blond fell asleep first, his steady breathing creating a lullaby for Sasuke as he lay on his side, looking at the man who had been thrown into his life and had changed it somehow.

His eyes were sliding shut on this night, but Sasuke knew that when he opened them, it would be to a whole other chapter of his life. And he found himself impatient to greet it, as it promised something better than what he'd had so far.

His last conscious movement was the twining of his hand with Naruto's, a tight hold as if to ensure that he would not be able to leave easily. And for the first time in a long time, Sasuke felt willing to fight to keep that hold tight.

**~ADB~**

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><p><strong>.<strong>

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**AAaaaaaand there we have it my pumpkins! (wtf...) How didja enjoy the action in this chapter? Was it exciting? To be honest I was listening to the song Welcome to the Jungle when I wrote it, so perhaps it seemed much more epic to me than it did to you. -sweatdrop- I hope I wasn't overestimating the chapter...**

**And as for all you fangirls, I hope you are content with the citrusy-scented ending. It's vague, but you know what happened! And as for those who chose not to read it, I can assure you that the only vital things you missed were a few internal monologues in which Sasuke basically told himself that 'he wouldn't regret meeting Naruto' and that he believed the next day would be the start of a new chapter. (in case you haven't read the last two paragraphs) And of course Naruto admitting to himself that he wanted this just as much as Sasuke..okay, maybe not as much as Sasuke since he wasn't hysterical at the time...but yeah... :D You get the gist!**

**I hope you all enjoyed it, and please remember to leave a review! **

**Kaoru: No, seriously, leave one! After she finished chapter 15, she suddenly went into a state of blankness and she wasn't sure what to do next! Review and motivate her and inspire her so she doesn't fall behind! I BEG YOU! D;**

**Kamari: We look forward to hearing from you all! See you next episode of Agent Duck-Butt!**


	13. Sizing Up

**Well here we have the next chapter! I was pleased with the results of the last (both positive and negative) and I appreciate everyone's take on the events of the last chapter! ^_^ I hope you all like this chapter! Things are going to be alittle awkward for our boys (there's no avoiding it) but let's hope they have enough maturity to push it aside ne?**

**This chapter...well, it deals with the morning after but I think, nearing the end especially, it would be considered Mind-Eye Candy...if it were an actual episode with visuals, I think plenty of girls would be very pleased. *grabs fleeing straight boys* don't worry, it's nothing that'll make you want to cry, just chill!**

**Well, without further ado, here we have the next chapter! **

**P.S- Everyone who's reviewed or left comments...thank you all so much! I read them all, and even if I don't get to reply to them, know that I see them and I am grateful for each and everyone of them! *throws love at you all* FEEL MY GRATITUDE! IT IS LIKE THE CRUSHING WEIGHT OF A-*is pulled off screen***

**~ADB~**

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><p>Kakashi sighed irritably as he stared at the bruised and battered man chained to a chair before him. Sasori returned his look with a contempt smirk of his own, and despite his battered appearance he still exuded an aura of superiority and smugness.<p>

"So, you still refuse to give up any information even though I've explained that you're pretty much dead as it is?" Kakashi tried again, anger lacing his tone at the man's uncooperative nature.

Sasori shrugged languidly, leaning back and casually looking at the chains around his wrists.

"If I'm as good as dead, I don't see the need to bother talking. No matter what you do, my outcome is the same, so I'd rather leave you grinding your teeth than let you walk away with a spring in your step," he said and Kakashi easily interpreted the underlying message.

"_I'm a sore loser, so you'll just have to suffer alongside me."_

Exhaling through his nose, Kakashi glanced towards the security cameras with a meaningful look.

Standing in the surveillance room, Sarutobi sighed morosely. He looked at Sasori's form, his brows furrowing in frustration before he turned and picked up the phone settled on the wall.

"This is the Chief. Send Ibiki to interrogation room six," he said gruffly, waiting for affirmation before putting the phone down. He heard an excited clapping of hands behind him and turned to regard his student with a disgusted look. "You're a sadist."

"I don't deny it!" Orochimaru agreed, still clapping the tips of his fingers together. "It's been a while since I've gotten to see Ibiki in action! I remember the last time you called him up, the victim was screaming for his mother, wasn't he?" he asked eagerly and Sarutobi wiped a wrinkled hand over his face.

"Where did I go wrong with you?" he muttered. Orochimaru only grinned happily. A sudden buzz made both men stiffen before the theme song of the Powerpuff Girls chirruped through the room. Sarutobi didn't even have to think about where the source came from before Orochimaru was pulling his phone from his pocket, smiling excitedly. "It looks like my order has arrived!" he said cheerfully. "I'll go get it after the interrogation!"

Before the Chief could do more than throw up in his mouth a little, the door to the interrogation room opened and the most intimidating man, save Orochimaru when he was serious, came striding in.

Kakashi lazily glanced at the newcomer. "Good morning, Ibiki," he greeted. Ibiki Morino nodded in reply, the stark light of the room throwing the scars slicing over his face into a sharp relief while he adjusted his bandana and set down a large leather bag.

"Would you like to be present for this interrogation, agent?" Ibiki asked dryly, turning to Kakashi briefly. The silver-haired agent chuckled and shook his head, pushing away from the wall and heading towards the door.

"I've seen many things in my career, some of which would make a grown man break down and cry like a lost child. But one thing that I still wish to remain blissfully ignorant of is how you managed to cause the same effect with a few well chosen objects and a word or two," he said lightly, sending an almost sympathetic glance at Sasori before walking out of the room.

Ibiki turned to the chained man and for a moment they simply stared each other down. Then, Ibiki grinned and Sasori felt a dark shadow looming and his skin paled as the man spoke.

"Hi there. My name is Ibiki Morino, and I'm going to be your worst nightmare for the day."

It took ten minutes for Sasori to start screaming.

**~ADB~**

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><p>The shrill noise in his ears was like a scream, and his eyes fluttered rapidly before reluctantly the lids pulled back enough for him to identify the noise. An alarm clock was on the side table, trilling loudly.<p>

He reached out an arm and slapped it, only feeling mildly surprised when it went through the window and vanished forever in the streets below.

His hand withdrew back under the warm covers and he closed his eyes, his foggy mind only now choosing to acknowledge that it was awake and it should be thinking.

The first thing he acknowledged was he was very warm and comfortable. The second thing he acknowledged was that something was gripping his hand so tightly he had probably lost some circulation. Trying to ease the pain he pushed his hand inwards to whatever it was that had him held tight. It worked, for soon the grip loosened pleasantly and blood flowed back into his hand with a tingling sensation. He opened his eyes again, deciding that he couldn't avoid the world forever. First things first, he was going to see why he was so comfortable and warm considering the fact that the night before last he had been sleeping on the cold floor.

Turning and making sure not to pull his hand away from whatever had it captured, he stared at the reality before him and memories finally revealed themselves in his waking state.

The first thing Naruto registered was that Sasuke's morning breath was really bad. His nose scrunched up and he titled his head back to escape the periodic bursts of breath that flowed onto his face as Sasuke continued to sleep. The second that he registered was that despite being butt-ass naked, Sasuke's body was really warm. He wasn't really curled up close to the guy-the only contact they had was their hands- but he could feel the heat radiating off of Sasuke.

He hoped the guy wasn't sick.

Naruto turned his face into the pillow and let out a groan. He could remember last night, and like he knew he would, he was starting to wonder how Sasuke was going to react when he woke up. Would he regret it? The situation had been less than ideal for the both of them, and Naruto felt guilty, wondering if he had taken advantage of Sasuke's moment of madness by doing that with him. He had been trying to help in the only way he could think of at the time, but as he had admitted, he wanted it too.

'_So much for letting him make the first move,_' he thought bitterly, berating himself for making such a bad judgement call. It was one thing to kiss the guy with intent, but to go all the way after such a hectic night?

That was a less than ideal situation. And it was his fault.

Sasuke shifted and Naruto turned to face him, feeling the sting of nervousness at facing this morning after. He waited patiently as the raven started to wake up, his brows furrowing while his eyelids fluttered until the first peeking of onyx could be seen beneath the dark lashes.

Naruto propped his head up on his elbow, staring with something akin to slight boredom as Sasuke started to register his surroundings. Internally he was mapping out possible escape routes. When Sasuke's gaze fell on him, the man froze and his eyes widened. Naruto could literally see the scenes from last night replaying in his eyes and he offered a blank, unemotional smile, trying to hide his own uncertainty.

"Morning Uchiha."

Sasuke blinked at his greeting, his eyes closing off while his look of surprised was replaced with a cool mask of indifference.

"Hn."

Naruto wanted to roll his eyes but he didn't. Instead he kept his face as blank as possible.

"So, what are we going to do now?" he asked. '_There's no point in dancing around the subject. We're going back out on the field today, we can't have any issues between us left alone to cause distractions._' That's right, just think of the job and it made it so much easier to confront these issues. At least, that's what Naruto told himself. But they couldn't afford to have difficulties over this. In their line of work, such a thing could be _fatal_. They had to resolve everything before someone arrived to pick them up.

Sasuke slowly pushed himself up, wincing slightly as he sat and sending a short glare to Naruto. The blond raised a brow before realization dawned and his grin turned a bit more realistic.

"Don't complain. No doubt my ass is going to feel ten times worse," he scolded and he took comfort in the way Sasuke's lips twitched upwards. It was a sign that perhaps things would turn out okay. Sure enough, as he moved to get into a sitting position like Sasuke, his backside ached in protest and he glared at Sasuke out of the corner of his eyes when he saw the way Sasuke was holding back a smirk.

They sat in a long-and painful-silence before Sasuke looked around, a confused expression on his face as his eyes swept over the bedside table.

"Where's my alarm clock?" he asked and Naruto stiffened, his lips puckering and his eyes widening in a look of innocence while he pointedly avoided Sasuke's gaze.

"You had an alarm clock?" he asked, scratching at his neck while he examined an interesting spot on the ceiling. Sasuke was giving him an accusing look but he refused to make eye contact.

Finally Sasuke sighed and pushed the covers off of him, revealing his naked form. Naruto didn't know if he should avert his eyes or not, so he settled for staring at Sasuke's face, questioning.

Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed, his hands clenching the edge before he turned his head to face Naruto.

"Uzumaki," he began slowly and Naruto winced inside. Just by the start he could imagine what was to come. Sasuke would probably tell him to 'forget it ever happened' or perhaps say 'you're an asshole for doing that' or maybe he would even ask to be removed from the mission again. Naruto was man enough to admit that he was hurt by that thought. Things had just started getting better between them. He was actually certain that they were, at the very least, friends. But now, because of the previous night, there was a chance that everything had been screwed up.

He was furious with himself. His old teacher had warned him long ago not to use his 'special training' with anyone personal, and yet he'd gone and done exactly what he was warned not to. It made him want to shove his own foot up his ass for being so stupid. Seduction was a dangerous technique, and when used incorrectly it could cause immense damage for everyone involved. He had been trying to console Sasuke, and he had been selfish. Sex for comfort wasn't what he considered good, and now it made things difficult.

'_God, I'm such an idiot! I should've backed out...but I started it. I'm the reason anything happened at all. No, I have to take responsibility for my idiocy. I'll do whatever I have to and make sure things work out,_' he thought. Because he was so busy thinking over things, he missed Sasuke's words. It was only when he felt a glare directed his way that he looked up.

"Oh...sorry, I blanked out. Did you say something?" he asked, wincing at the sharp glare Sasuke gave him. Of all the times to blank out, now was not one of them.

"I said," Sasuke began darkly before pausing and sighing. He relaxed his muscles and continued in a gentler tone. "I said that I'm sorry about last night. I...I understand what you did. Although seduction wasn't a technique I bothered to learn, I get the general concept. I understand that you were trying to help," he smirked at Naruto's vacant nod and continued, "Last night was a mistake. I think we can both agree on that."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Yes...yes we can."

"However," Sasuke said sharply, cutting off any further comment, "I don't think there's any reason for this to become an issue. Naruto...After last night, I know that you know about the fact that I hold some sort of attraction to you."

Naruto blinked before nodding slowly. "Yes...I figured it out," he confirmed and Sasuke nodded stiffly.

"I've never been one for a relationship. I've never had time or interest. However...I think that we could possibly...turn this situation in our favour."

Naruto stared at him for a moment, letting the words mull over in his mind. As they sank in, he sat up straighter and gaped at the raven.

"Wait, so..." he trailed off, thinking over everything. "So then...you think that we might have...something?" he asked, unsure of what to think. Never had he doubted his ability to read people, but dammit he just could not read Sasuke's poker-face at the moment.

Sasuke stared at him for a minute longer, no expression on his face and Naruto was growing more and more restless. He was starting to panic, thinking that perhaps he had misinterpreted what Sasuke meant and had insulted him. It took him a moment before he saw the way Sasuke's mouth was trembling and the way his eyebrows were twitching and then it hit him. Sasuke enjoyed watching him fidget and was staying silent on purpose!

Scowling, he grabbed a pillow and threw it at the man. "Answer me you prick!"

Sasuke let the pillow smack him upside the head and chuckled. He placed it back on the bed and stood up. "Yes...I think that, though it will not be immediate...a chance for something more is possible. If I was ever to 'date'," the word rolled off his tongue like a foreign language, and even Sasuke's eyes showed his limited knowledge of the subject, "anyone...it would have to be someone who was on the same level as me. So far...you're the only person who fits the bill."

Naruto stared at him before scowling. "That's not as flattering as you might mean it to be. It makes it sound like I'm a last resort," he sniffed. Sasuke smirked.

"Not so much a last resort as the only one I'm willing to consider amongst many," he countered and Naruto's scowl faded.

He continued to watch the raven carefully, reading his eyes and the subtle motions of his body. As cool and collected as Sasuke was appearing, Naruto finally saw that underlying fear. Sasuke was nervous and anxious about what his reply was. He was putting himself out there, in a situation that neither of them was sure of, and waiting.

Deciding to give the bastard a taste of his own medicine, he stayed silent while Sasuke fidgeted minutely, his fingers clenching and unclenching. Finally Naruto smiled.

"Well...I am man enough to admit that you're a good looking guy, and you've got your good qualities. I think I might be willing to give 'something' a try. Besides," he stretched and winced, "In a way, what happened last night was because of me, so I need to take proper responsibility like the good grown-up I am!"

Sasuke visibly relaxed, the tension draining out of him to be replaced with a pleased smirk. He nodded, moving to the edge of the bed again. "Hn. For now, we'll just continue on as normal. There will be time for a deeper look at our situation later," he said seriously. Naruto snickered at the Agent-y talk and shook his head. Sasuke ignored his snicker and instead stood up, walking to the bathroom.

Well, he tried.

Naruto's laughter was loud and fierce the moment Sasuke took a step forward only to twitch horribly and start taking awkwardly wide steps across the floor. He shot him a nasty glare over his shoulder.

"I'd like to see you walk, moron!" he taunted and Naruto stopped laughing immediately, instead grinning at Sasuke.

"Oh, I will. As soon as the virus activates again, anyway," he said nonchalantly.

Sasuke's creative stream of curses didn't stop even when he was under the hot spray of the shower.

They got ready, keeping talking to a minimum. It was a relief to the both of them that somehow they weren't too awkward around each other. In fact, it was almost like nothing had really changed, except the tolerance between them. Naruto kept his promise from the night before and made breakfast, of which Sasuke threw half of it into the trash claiming that 'It was crawling off of my plate in a bid to freedom, I was just helping it'. The biggest difference that they could notice was that now, they were officially friendly. When Sasuke offered to make Naruto a cup of coffee too, it was like a signal that things were looking up. And when Naruto started to fix Sasuke's tie, the raven simply stood and let the blond preen him. No insults, no arguments. It was almost refreshing; being friends.

At ten, there was a knock on Sasuke's door and he walked over to answer it. He was met with Stone, who was carrying a toolbox.

"Hi Sasuke. Someone from your work or whatever is here to pick you and your friend up, or something. He said his name is Kiba?" he said, and Sasuke nodded, thanking him for informing him. Stone lingered in the doorway, and Sasuke stared back at him, wondering where the man's hidden eyes were looking. Naruto peeked into the hall, and he grinned and waved a hello to Stone. The darker man returned it, his lips suddenly forming a small 'o'. When Naruto ducked out of sight, Stone turned back to Sasuke and lifted his cap up ever so slightly. The raven caught the faintest glimpse of narrow and slanted eyes, but the colour was undeterminable due to all the hair.

"Ahem...you may want to wear a scarf or something," Stone said with a shaking quality to his voice that indicated suppressed laughter. Sasuke quirked an eyebrow in silent question and Stone casually indicated a spot on his own dark neck. Sasuke felt the same spot on his own neck and stiffened when he felt the sensitive tingle of a hickey.

Grinning wildly, Stone retreated back into the hall and waved cheerily as he made his way down to whichever apartment needed repairs. Sasuke closed his door, hand over the spot on his neck and a scowl on his face. He moved towards the kitchen where Naruto had finished his cup of coffee and strode over to the blond.

"I guess Kiba's here then-hey!" Sasuke yanked the boy's collar down, peering at his neck intently. The damn blond had no marks!

'_Oh no way! Why do I have to suffer!_' he thought. He weighed his options. They were still only at the 'friendly' stage, but he couldn't go to work with a hickey while Naruto got off scott-free! He just had to think of who he worked with, and it made him shudder. Kakashi would have a field day!

No, if he had to have a blatant hickey for all the psychos in his workplace to see, then he would damn well make sure Naruto had one too!

Deciding to take whatever bitching Naruto would throw at him, he leant down and clamped his teeth on the blond's neck.

Of course, Naruto started to panic.

"What? What's going on_?_! What're you doing? Hey, why the hell are you biting me, you vampire-freak!" he tugged on Sasuke's hair to get the man to let go, but Sasuke just whacked him upside the head in retaliation and continued. Finally he pulled away and smirked at the dark bruise dressing Naruto's neck.

Naruto was glaring at him indignantly. "Explanation, if you would, Mr. Uchiha," he clipped, tapping his fingers on the countertop impatiently.

Sasuke gave him a glare and pulled back his own collar, revealing the hickey. "Equal trade, dumbass. If I suffer, then so do you."

"How the hell does a hickey cause you suffering?" Naruto asked as he stood up from the table and followed the other man through the front door, making sure to grab his things before they left. He wiped at the spot Sasuke had attacked, muttering curses under his breath about bastards and their evil ways. Sasuke snorted as he locked his door and led them to the elevator.

"Orochimaru and Kakashi are in my agency," he reminded before turning a meaningful look to Naruto. "Trust me, we're going to suffer."

Naruto opened his mouth to protest that he wasn't from the agency, and therefore he shouldn't have to suffer but Kiba was standing in the entrance hall, waving his car keys around and chewing on a piece of beef jerky.

The two agents walked over to him; their suits clean and pressed and looking as formal as ever when compared to Kiba's khaki shorts, sandals and Hawaiian shirt. The brunet tilted his head when he saw them and offered a jerky-tinted grin.

"So, how was the short holiday?" he asked, opening the door for them like the good underling he was. They both shared a look before turning to Kiba.

"Enlightening," they said in unison and Kiba blinked, the jerky hanging from his opened mouth as the two walked out without pushing to be first or giving each other nasty looks for speaking at the same time. His mouth gaped wider when Sasuke actually stepped back and allowed Naruto to leave first. When both were standing by the car he quickly slurped up his jerky and headed out.

"Oh? Enlightening, you say? How so?" he asked, trying to make small talk as he unlocked the doors and watched with wide eyes as Naruto opened Sasuke's door for him and slid inside beside him instead of moving to the front seat. This new compliance between them was new...and it was scary.

"Well, I learned that Uchiha doesn't clean his apartment properly, has a nice pseudo-landlord, and cannot, for the life of him, be lazy," Naruto supplied as he leant back in his seat. Sasuke snorted into his palm as he rested chin in it, his elbow balancing on the window.

"And I learned that not only does Uzumaki have the dance skills of a drunk on ice, but he's nosy, blunt about topics that shouldn't be spoken about during a meal and is even more annoying than I thought."

Kiba huffed a laugh as he drove them through the busy streets. "Right. Well, things have really picked up now. Everyone's on the move. The agency is like an ant's nest; everyone's always walking, rushing, doing things and training and leaving...It's a nightmare," he grinned into the rear-view mirror. "It's also the best thing ever!" he added.

Naruto returned his grin while Sasuke smirked.

At the first stop street from Sasuke's apartment, just under a block away, Sasuke peered out the window at the sidewalk where something was lying in shards and broken pieces. "...Is that my alarm clock?" he asked suspiciously.

Naruto conveniently went deaf for a short time.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>"Agent Uchiha! Agent Uzumaki!"<p>

The voice yelling their names the moment they entered the agency was none other than Sakura, who was rushing past holding a bunch of clipboards. "The Chief wants you both in his office ASAP!" she called as she hurried into an elevator already packed full.

They nodded at her, Naruto throwing out a 'thank you Sakura' as they hurried into another elevator also jammed with people. They stood side by side near doors, watching as the numbers flashed overhead as they moved higher.

"Well, look who it is," a deep voice said to their right and they turned their heads to see who had spoken. Sasuke scowled while Naruto simply titled his head, having no clue who the person before him was.

"What do you want, Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked shortly.

The man slinking in the corner of the elevator was tall and lean, his long brunet hair pulled back into a loose pony tail to keep it out of his way. There was a bandage wrapped around his forehead, the white contrasting with his surprisingly light grey eyes.

He surveyed Naruto with a look of slight interest but the look he gave Sasuke was one of pure disdain. "I'm simply amazed that the Chief has put you and an unknown agent together as the lead agents for such an important mission field," he said scornfully. Sasuke was glaring at him, but it was Naruto who spoke up. His voice was calm and collected.

"The Chief made his decision based on the statistic results from our past mission statements. He deducted that we were best suited, and we are following orders," he turned an impassive stare to the Hyuuga. "If you have an issue in his choice, kindly take it up with him."

Sasuke smirked at the outraged expression on the man's face. "Hn. You heard him, Neji," he said, using the man's first name just to piss him off. "It's not our fault we're _that_ good." His eyes slid to the bandage on Neji's forehead. "How's the injury from your failed plane-hijack coming along?"

The elevator doors dinged and slid open, and Naruto pulled Sasuke out before a fight could be started. The man, Neji, had looked ready to swing a punch.

They quickly stalked into the Chief's office, bickering about Sasuke's childish taunting in the elevator, and were greeted by the sight of the man sitting at his desk and Kakashi standing beside him, arms crossed.

"Explain what happened this weekend," Sarutobi ordered the moment the men had come to a stop before him.

Sasuke began to explain everything that had happened, Naruto helping him when he forgot something or wasn't sure how to word it. The Chief listened patiently, nodding his head. When they reached the part where they exited the building, he held up his hand to silence them.

"Alright, I understand. As reckless as that was, it was not your intention. You're both lucky you're so well trained and managed to get out of there in one piece. Also, it's thanks to that that we now have another captive from the organization. He was stubborn at first, but Ibiki managed to loosen his tongue somewhat. We've received information that there is going to be a shipment delivered to Sasori's enterprise via railroad this evening. That shipment contains important chemical compounds necessary to completing the virus," the Chief explained.

"You would like us to retrieve them, sir?" Naruto asked for confirmation. Both he and Sasuke were surprised at Sarutobi's shake of the head.

"No. It's gone beyond the point of trying to get the virus before they do. Orochimaru is already handling the biological side of things," he spoke lowly, his hands pressed together. Finally he looked up, his eyes stern. "I want you to destroy that shipment."

Both agents stiffened in surprise. "Destroy it?"

"The entire shipment. Leave no box unharmed. Not one."

Silence filled the air before Sasuke bowed his head and Naruto followed suit.

"Understood sir."

"Excellent. Kiba will debrief you this time, and then you will be asked to train for a bit. The shipment only starts its course at seven this evening. You have time to prepare yourselves physically for the strenuous task ahead."

They nodded again and Sarutobi dismissed them from his office.

"Oh, and Sasuke, here!" Kakashi said quickly, tossing something at the raven. Sasuke caught it easily, opening his palm to see his cell phone, crushed and shattered, in his palm. He looked up, seeing Kakashi's smirking eyes. However, the phone reminded them that their briefing of the night before was...unfinished.

"Alright, you can go," the Chief dismissed again, turning back to his paperwork. Sasuke didn't move, and so Naruto lingered by the door, hands in his pockets.

Kakashi cleared his throat, making the Chief look up from his papers. "Is there something wrong, Sasuke?"

Sasuke hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting to the side. Naruto came up behind him, his hand rising before pausing in the air awkwardly. He looked around, not sure whether he should or not. But when Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, only to close it and take a shuddering breath, he reached out and gently placed his hand on the Uchiha's shoulder. It was the best form of comfort he could give in this situation.

'_Because I am sure as shit not dropping my drawers like that again!_' he thought.

"After we exited the club...we ran into someone else," Sasuke began slowly.

Kakashi perked up and the Chief leaned forward. "Who?"

"...Itachi Uchiha."

"That's not possible!" Kakashi snapped immediately, slamming his hand on the desk and surprising the other three. He stared at Sasuke with an almost furious gleam in his eye. "Itachi died a long time ago!"

"That's what I had thought too! At least until I saw him in an alleyway, where he tried to kill me!" Sasuke replied in an icy voice. Naruto's hand squeezed lightly, and Sasuke tried to relax his muscles. He could understand Kakashi's denial somewhat. From what he knew, Kakashi had been pretty close to Itachi when they were younger.

Kakashi's eyes bulged and the Chief was pale. "Sasuke...you are sure?" he asked softly. Sasuke closed his eyes, remembering the sight of his older brother standing there, drenched to the bone and pointing a pistol straight at him.

"Yes. I am positive. Itachi is alive and he tried to kill me last night."

Kakashi stepped back, his skin pale and his eyes faraway. "No...There's no way..."

"If either of you can offer some enlightenment, I'm all ears," Sasuke said calmly but his eyes were cold and empty.

"This is news to us both Sasuke. We have believed, as have you that your brother died all those years ago. To think that he's alive... and on the side of our adversaries no less!" Sarutobi pushed his head into his hands. "Things are becoming more and more complex."

"What should we do?" Sasuke asked quietly.

The Chief pressed his knuckles to his mouth, his eyes narrowed in thought before he stood up. "Nothing. You two will do nothing. The two of you will continue with the missions we assign. As for Itachi's appearance..." his eyes roamed over Kakashi who stilled under the gaze, his face becoming blank.

"...Understood, sir," he said in a hoarse whisper and without a glance at either of the young agents, he strode out of the room.

There was a tense silence and Naruto jumped when Sasuke reached up, pulling his hand off of his shoulder. He felt a bit put out that Sasuke didn't want his comfort, but then he felt the subtle squeeze Sasuke gave his hand and understood. Sasuke was grateful.

Sarutobi looked up as they let go of each other's hands. He narrowed his eyes, barely catching the movement.

"Sir?" Naruto asked hesitantly, wondering if the man had noticed and what he would say.

Sarutobi turned to him and smiled reassuringly. "Boys, don't focus on things you cannot control," he began, focusing on Sasuke with a meaningful look. "Instead, focus on the things you can. And you can control the outcome of this mission. Train hard."

They nodded and turned to exit the office. Sarutobi chuckled when they both tried to exit at the same time, getting caught in the doorway. Sasuke sighed heavily and Naruto gave a nervous little laugh before they tried to force their way through at the same time. The result had them both exploding out of the office and almost smashing into the opposite wall. Sarutobi chuckled as he heard them bickering as they walked down the hall.

"Kids," the old chief sighed with a smile.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The training centre was reasonably full considering how busy everyone was. Agents were getting ready for missions by training themselves all over again. Some were climbing the designated walls with no ropes; others were at the punching bags laying out punch after punch. One of the rings was occupied by a pair of men who were throwing themselves at each other like animals, viciously trying to pin the other down while a small gathering of exhausted agents watched; drinking water and wiping towels over their sweaty faces.<p>

Sasuke and Naruto walked into the area, dressed in their usual work-out clothes. Naruto sported a black tank top and white shorts while Sasuke wore a blue, sleeveless shirt and grey sweatpants.

"So, what should we do first?" Naruto asked as they began to stretch their muscles. Sasuke grunted, looking around and noting that a few of the agents were watching them with curious eyes. Being the lead agents during this new crisis made them celebrities almost. Everyone would wonder why they were chosen, wonder at how good they were and how their teamwork was.

"Hn. Let's do the wall first. We'll be hanging off of a train after all. We should get some climbing practice in," he said, nodding his head towards the free wall meant for climbing. Naruto nodded in agreement, finishing his stretch and walking towards it. Something snapped against his ass and he jumped, whirling around to see Sasuke smirking and winding up his towel. Naruto narrowed his eyes in a clear display of 'challenge accepted'. He waited for Sasuke to catch up to him, swiftly bringing up his foot to kick the man's ass, quite literally. But Sasuke was anticipating it and spun around, blocking the hit with both hands and laughing when Naruto took a second shot just for luck.

"Bastard," Naruto growled and Sasuke just shrugged as they approached the wall.

Sasuke took the lead, running up the fall a few paces before jumping and grabbing onto the closest handhold. He hung there for a moment before fitting his foot against the wall and finding more purchase for his hands. Once he was secured, he turned his head to watch as Naruto ran up the wall and snagged his own hold. Other agents were watching them, and Sasuke smirked. It was time to show them why he and Naruto were the lead agents.

He made sure his right hand had a good grip before reaching down with his left. "Hey!" he called, and Naruto looked up.

"What?"

"I'll give you a boost."

For a moment, Naruto stared at him in surprise before a grin split across his face. "Awesome."

He reached up, locking his hand with Sasuke's. The raven shot a glance to the crowd and smirked briefly. It was time to show everyone just what they could do. He nodded and Naruto let go of his other holds, hanging purely by Sasuke's strength. A lot of trust was going in here. They had no ropes and the higher they got, the more was at risk.

Sasuke grunted with effort before he began to swing Naruto. With more momentum gathered, he let out a gruff yell and swung Naruto upwards. Naruto swung higher than Sasuke and quickly grabbed onto a hold, securing himself before he reached back and grabbed Sasuke's arm, allowing the raven to relax his muscles slightly without fear of falling off and breaking his neck. When Sasuke had caught his breath, he let go of the wall. Naruto swung him, his teeth bared in concentration and effort as the raven swung upwards.

This was their method, and they continued until they reached the top of the wall, where a ledge was set up with a ladder. Sasuke panted and looked at his watch.

"It took us...eight minutes," he said with a smirk and Naruto laughed breathily beside him.

"Kept to your timing then," he wheezed as he moved towards the ladder. "Come on, I want some water and then we can move to one of the rings. I feel like kicking your ass."

Sasuke smirked, feeling a strange urge to start teasing. He didn't know why he felt it, but he couldn't help himself.

"Is that all you want to do with my ass?" he asked, and just to prove that he had officially lost his mind, he stuck his tongue out at Naruto playfully while the other stared at him with wide eyes.

"Shit Uchiha," Naruto said while shaking his head, "Did I somehow remove whatever was up your ass? You seem to be a whole lot more...human, today!" he exclaimed.

Sasuke shrugged. "You're a good lay," he answered.

Naruto almost threw him off the ladder for that one.

Once they were on the ground-safely intact- they walked through the crowd of gathered agents, who gave them praise for their teamwork and their skills. Naruto grinned widely, soaking up the praise like a sponge dumped into a bucket of water while Sasuke brushed off the compliments with ease, as if he did it every day.

'_Stuck-up asshole probably does,_' Naruto reasoned thoughtfully.

They approached the first empty ring, stopping at the water fountain on the way to get a drink. Naruto sighed happily after he finished gulping down the cool water and he took the extra time to flick a few droplets at Sasuke's face. The raven swatted his head in return, a smirk on his face as he went to get his own drink.

Naruto stretched out his arms, discreetly looking around at the amount of agents that were watching their every move. It was the first time they'd actually been in the presence of other agents since the missions began, and it was obvious that many of the agents were still questioning their abilities.

Well, maybe not Sasuke's abilities. Undoubtedly he was a legend in the agency in his own right. The thought of being unknown and underestimated in this agency made Naruto slightly...agency-sick. He missed his old partners, and the familiar rooms and offices of his agency.

He missed his old teacher too.

"Hey!" Snapping fingers in front of his face broke him out of his memories and he blinked, seeing Sasuke peering close at his face. "You with me, moron?" Sasuke continued, eyes staring at his intently. Naruto blinked again and then smirked. With a few quick motions he managed to grab Sasuke's arm, twist it over his shoulder and fling the man over the rope barrier and into the ring.

Sasuke landed with a grunt on the white floor, tilting his head back to look at his partner as he vaulted over the ropes and landed before him.

"I don't know, bastard. I think I may just be ahead of you," Naruto said with a cheeky grin. Sasuke returned it, kicking his legs up and vaulting to his feet, narrowly avoiding a head butt with Naruto who leant back just in time.

The two men started to circle each other, keeping their eyes locked while their hands swayed slightly, muscles flexing and tensing in preparation. Sasuke flicked his head, getting some hair out of his eyes while Naruto ran a hand across his mouth, his eyes tracking every move Sasuke made.

"Ready?" he asked softly, holding up his fists in a basic kickboxing stance.

Sasuke chortled lowly, copying his stance and dancing lightly on his feet. There was a crowd around them, watching every move like a gathering of hungry hawks.

"Hn. I was born ready!"

Sasuke attacked first, sliding forward and spinning around, bringing his leg up in a backwards kick. Naruto deflected the hit by shoving his hands down, knocking the kick away. As soon as his leg was deflected Sasuke stepped back only to jump forward again, kicking his leg up for a jaw shot.

Naruto bent back, avoiding the blow. He spun around, bringing his elbow up to capture Sasuke's leg in his arm and deliver a sharp jab to the back of his knee.

Wincing at the attack, Sasuke used Naruto's hold to push himself into the air, kicking his other leg around. Naruto managed to bring up his arm, softening the blow that would've hit the side of his head. He stumbled to the left and Sasuke strafed backwards, getting some distance between them so he could plan out his next move.

Naruto sucked in a deep breath, re-entering his stance from before. This time, however, he continued to move about, lightly dancing on his feet and swaying his fists gently. Sasuke watched him with cautious eyes, his hands ready to defend his face if need be. It was a tense few seconds as they stared each other down.

Then Naruto was taking a running step forward, jumping and double kicking through the air. Sasuke held his arms up, stopping the attacks from hitting his face. He pushed back and Naruto back-flipped through the air, landing on the floor and jumping back to avoid Sasuke's downward fist.

"Whoa, I felt some breeze on that one!" Naruto teased, circling Sasuke again while he wiped at some sweat on his forehead and the end of his nose. Sasuke grinned, slamming his hand into his palm and then shaking both hands out as he followed Naruto's circle.

"Hn. You're going to feel a lot more when I'm through with you," he said and Naruto's grin widened while his eyes gleamed playfully.

"You promise?" he asked innocently and Sasuke's eyes widened briefly before his lips pulled back into a feral grin. Most of the watchers started to murmur in surprise. No one had seen Sasuke grin like that before.

"Hn. It's a promise."

Then they were going for each other, flipping, jabbing, dodging and kicking. They switched styles with no hesitation, going from kickboxing to karate, then judo to tae kwon do and at one point they even started to wrestle. Sasuke had his arms wrapped around Naruto's midriff, grunting as he fought against the onslaught of heavy presses on his back as Naruto tried to pick him up and hold him upside down. Sweat was rolling down their bodies, their defined muscles gleaming under the harsh light of the training centre. People were cheering, clapping and shouting support for both agents, having watched long enough to get extremely into the whole session.

"Come on Uchiha! Get him! Pin him down!" someone shouted and Sasuke heaved a great breath before he ducked even lower, surprising Naruto and wrapping his arms around his waist. He pushed up, hoisting the blond into the air. Naruto scrabbled for purchase, letting out a yell when Sasuke threw him towards the edge of the ring. He was going to fall out of it, and that counted as a loss.

'_Not so fast!_' he thought, pulling his legs around. He landed on the rope, feet flat against the thick cord, and it bended under his weight; stretching before starting to spring back. He used the momentum, going with it as it launched him back into the ring and straight at Sasuke. As he started to move through the air he spun his body around, letting his leg fly out and gain speed in a powerful kick that would strike Sasuke right in the chest if he landed it right.

Sasuke saw the attack coming, but it was happening so fast he knew he wouldn't be able to dodge it. He would have to take it and lessen the blow with his arms.

He brought his arms down, forming a protective barrier of his chest as Naruto's foot impacted. There was a loud thud, his flesh rippling under the contact and he grunted, flying backwards and skidding along the ring floor, reaching the rope barrier before he stopped. Sweat was running down his face after the intense fight and he panted for breath, reaching up and grabbing the barrier to pick himself up.

Naruto was also heaving for breath on the other side of the ring, wiping away at his eyes and his face to try and see past the sweat. He was only now realizing just how much effort had to go into fighting Sasuke. The man was his match in every way; he could see his attacks and counter them, could deflect his most devastating blows and dodge many of his fastest. Luckily though, he could boast that he was Sasuke's match as well. It was hard sometimes, but he managed to read his body movement well enough to see his attacks and counter or deflect.

And Sasuke was strong. During every contact they'd had, he'd felt just how much power was hiding behind the pale skin. It was true he'd seen Sasuke shirtless on two occasions; the night before being the most recent but it was dark, and during those times he'd never actually seen the way Sasuke's muscles stood out. He guessed it was because the man hadn't been tensed or flexing them in preparation like he was now and the flimsy blue vest did little to hide the contours of his six pack.

Naruto ran a hand over his own stomach, feeling proud of his muscular body and he quickly stretched his arms. He had no clue that across the ring, Sasuke was having similar thoughts to him. He was taking in every tone and definition of Naruto's arms and what he could see of his chest. Sasuke had to say that, as a man, Naruto was a very proud and fine specimen. He was strong, fast, handsome, witty and charming and all around he was an excellent person. Sasuke knew that he had been right; the only person who could match up to his standards of a person was Naruto. He knew that now.

'_Hooray! Hooray! Your denial is over! Oh, this is so wonderful!_'

Sasuke cursed violently under his breath. '_Shit, are you still here? I thought you'd go away once I accepted that I wanted Naruto..._'

'_How could I leave? I'm a part of you! Besides, who's going to be there to give you advice on how to keep this relationship if I leave? Lord knows you're going to need help._'

Sasuke took a moment to contemplate going to see a psychiatrist about Mochi. It was starting to get disturbing.

"Not spacing out, are you?"

He snapped out his thoughts and saw Naruto grinning at him, his hands rested on his knees while he crouched slightly, watching Sasuke carefully. He smirked in return, quickly brushing his long bangs back and tucking them behind his ears to keep them out of his eyes. Naruto stared at his newly revealed face with his mouth gaping open.

"Shit Uchiha...I'm buying you a hairclip as soon as I can!" he said, laughing at Sasuke's disgusted look. "Don't worry; I'll make sure they engrave a little 'Princess Uchiha' onto it, okay?"

Sasuke snorted while several people in the crowd laughed loudly and he shook his head.

"You're such an idiot."

Naruto just shrugged. "You love me," he taunted with a wink, standing up and waving his hands. "Come on, show me your _best_ move."

Sasuke paused for a moment. "My best move, eh?" he mumbled. He looked back at Naruto and sent him a piercing look as warning before he rushed forward, dropping at the last second and kicking his leg up. Naruto cried out as he was flung into the air from the powerful blow and Sasuke turned around on his hands, delivering a second kick to Naruto's back and sending him careening over the edge of the ring, landing with a solid thump on the polished floor.

Cheers erupted around the ring as Sasuke got to his feet, panting heavily. He looked through the crowd at where Naruto was lying, motionless and a small tinge of worry lit in his chest. He had used one of his most vicious moves; it was a sneak-feint attack, where he dropped when the opponent wasn't expecting it and delivered a blow to their solar plexus that simultaneously launched them into the air long enough for him to spin around and deliver another crushing, angled hit to their spine.

At least, that's what he did with his enemies. He'd made sure not to hit those areas on Naruto.

'_At least, I think I didn't hit them..._' he thought worriedly. When Naruto stayed still, the concern grew and Sasuke vaulted over the ring, quickly making his way over to the blond. He ignored the calls of people behind him looking to praise him. His biggest concern was currently lying on the floor.

"Hey, Naruto?" he called softly, kneeling down next to the man. Naruto's eyes were closed, his head thrown back while he lay still. His shirt had ridden up and Sasuke could see a bruise where he'd struck. He winced at how dark it was already. He'd hit harder than he'd thought and it was unnervingly close to the usual spots. Had he not missed after all?

"Naruto? Hey," he reached down, gently shaking his shoulders, "Naruto! Come on man, wake up!"

He shook Naruto's shoulder harder and faintly heard the crowds starting to stir. Obviously they had realized that perhaps Naruto wasn't just out cold and Sasuke wasn't very proud of his victory.

"Moron! Get up already!" Sasuke snapped, his grip growing harder and his shakes growing more furious.

"Someone should call Sakura," a voice murmured and there were some hesitant agreements.

Sasuke cursed, pressing a hand to his face. Had he really just incapacitated his own mission partner? His own friend and...lover? Boyfriend? He still wasn't entirely sure what to call Naruto just yet. Things were still so tender between them.

"What's the time?" he asked the gathered group, looking over his shoulder. There were confused looks sent his way, but a slender woman near the front looked at her watch before telling him the time. He nodded, turning back to Naruto.

'_The virus should activate soon..._'

As if his thoughts had caused it, he saw the subtle ripple through Naruto's muscles and then blue eyes were opening wide as he gasped.

"Fucking hell!" Naruto choked, catching his breath as Sasuke helped him into a sitting position, letting him rest against his body so his hands could steady his shoulders. "When I said...show me your best move...I didn't think you'd do it," he wheezed and Sasuke chuckled guiltily.

"I guess I got caught up in the challenge," he mumbled. Naruto shook his head, panting slightly before he let his head loll back, thumping against Sasuke's chest while he caught his breath and waited for all the bruises to heal. Soon he was climbing to his feet, Sasuke staying close by just in case he decided to topple over.

"You okay?" he asked softly and Naruto nodded, rubbing at the spot on his stomach.

"Yeah, I'm good now. I suppose in some ways its good you took me out at that moment. If we'd fought any longer, the virus would have activated and I may have broken you without meaning to," Naruto murmured. Sasuke nodded, humming agreement as agents started to walk over.

"Hey, he's alright!"

"What? No way!"

"Wow, no one has ever been able to stand after getting hit with the Lion Combo!"

Naruto turned to Sasuke after hearing that, quirking an eyebrow. "Lion Combo?" he asked.

Sasuke shrugged. "It's what they've come to call it, although honestly I don't see why."

Naruto laughed softly, shrugging to show he wasn't sure why either. They stood there for a moment, just looking around before Naruto reached out and ran his fingers through Sasuke's hair. The raven froze, watching as Naruto just smiled. When the blond withdrew his hand, his bangs fell back into place.

"There we go! That's the Uchiha Look I'm used to," Naruto explained and laughed while other agents joined in. Sasuke blinked and then smirked, shaking his head.

"Agent Sharingan, Agent Kyuubi, you've been called into the debriefing room!" someone yelled at the doorway.

"Thanks!" Naruto yelled back, waving a grateful hand. He turned back to Sasuke. "Looks like it's time to start our countdown until we hit the field."

Sasuke nodded, leading the way as they grabbed their bags and left the training centre. "Let's hope we can accomplish this mission without one or both of us ending up in the hospital section."

**~ADB~**

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><p><strong>Well there we have it folks! Coming next chapter will be their next mission! I had fun writing it, so I hope you'll have fun reading it! Remember, updates are every Wednesday, unless something happens or I fall behind on chapters and therefore I have to give myself an extra day! But I should be able to update next Wednesday on time, so no worries!<strong>

**Please remember to review and leave your thoughts!**


	14. Crazy Train

***sneaks in like a ninja in the hopes of not being seen while updating a day late***

**Hurry, hurry, hurry before they find me!. *types away before looking around nervously***

**Okay, okay, I've got my headstart again, so next time I should be able to be on time-*hears people coming* AAAH! *flees in terror before readers can find her***

**Warnings & Disclaimer: The usual, and no I don't own.**

**~ADB~  
><strong>

* * *

><p>The air was chilled despite the amount of people rushing around, or the heated wheels of the train waiting to start moving. Everywhere people were loading up heavily packed and insulated boxes, calling out instructions and making so much noise it was almost deafening.<p>

Kamari wiped at his nose nervously, his gloved hands curling into fists to try and keep some warmth in them. The setting sun was casting a blinding light on the side of his face and he turned away from it to avoid getting white spots in his vision. He watched the boxes being loaded onto the train apprehensively, well aware that the contents of those boxes were worth more military strength than the entire military force of their continent. If their leader managed to perfect the drug to be suitable on all subjects, he would have the most power. He would be able to gather an army of people who were near impossible to stop, especially when equipped with proper weaponry. If the drug was perfected, the world would be at its knees, bargaining for safety.

It was a frightening prospect the more he thought about it, and that was why he took Kaoru's advice and didn't think about it.

Speaking of his twin...

"Come on ladies! This isn't a social gathering, this is an urgent shipment! Stop your yapping and get those bloody boxes loaded!" Kaoru yelled from his spot on top of the train, his hands on his hips as he barked orders. He looked quite menacing in his long leather jacket that flapped in the cold wind and a pair of dark police sunglasses resting on his face and hiding his eyes. Kamari snorted to himself as he made his way up the ladder and onto the train roof.

"Their chatter was inevitable, Mr. Anderson," he drawled with a smirk.

"Oh jog on," Kaoru grinned, punching him lightly on the arm and looking towards the city in the distance. "This is the most important shipment yet. Apparently this batch has necessary blood components to finish the drug. At least, that's what they assume," he noted, watching as several men almost dropped a box. "Hey! Watch it you twits! That's fragile!" he barked.

Kamari crouched down, shivering as a breeze blew through the air. "So...you think the agents will be coming after it?" he asked quietly.

"I'd bet my left nut they will," Kaoru responded just as quietly, sharp eyes taking in the time on his watch. "They've got Sasori, so they're bound to have the information regarding this shipment. We're going to be departing in twenty minutes."

Kamari sighed heavily. "Are you sure we can trust Itachi? If he rats us out to the leader about our desire to leave...we're dead," he mumbled, looking around nervously. Kaoru pursed his lips briefly before patting his twin's back.

"Even if Itachi does turn out to be the lying scumbag he looks to be...I won't let them kill you. Don't worry."

"Hey!"

The shout from below made them both look down to see the third member of their usual team.

"Ryoumen, I haven't seen you since the agents took Deidara," Kamari greeted, slipping off the roof of the train and landing before the man. Ryoumen adjusted his glasses.

"The leader wanted me to do some programming and shit. He sent me here to check how the loading's going," he explained, looking up at Kaoru and smiling. "You're looking good today, Kaoru."

"Suck my ass," was the snapped reply he got before the other turned away, barking out some more orders for the henchmen to hurry up.

Kamari held back his snicker at the reply and instead surveyed Ryoumen carefully. "Well the loading is going fine. Are...are you going to be accompanying us this time around?" he asked slowly.

Ryoumen shook his head. "No. The leader wants to keep me in the base to do work from there. There's some new guy working for us. His name is Kabuto or something. He's a real creep," he said, scratching his cheek thoughtfully while Kamari just nodded in understanding. His watch began to beep, the shrill sound making those in the vicinity stop as he looked at the time. He sighed, closing his eyes briefly before looking up at the crowd.

"We're departing in five minutes! Get those boxes on the train now, or face the boss later! Move it, move it!" he yelled and the frantic scurry of workers blurred the area. He turned back to Ryoumen.

"See you later then, I guess," he shrugged and the other man nodded.

"Don't screw up."

Kamari just smirked, waving his hand as if the mere idea was preposterous. "Go back to your laptop and troll someone," he joked.

Ryoumen waved and walked away, heading towards the exit while Kamari watched him go. There was a light thud as Kaoru landed behind him and stepped up.

"We're not telling him?" Kamari asked in a mumble, eyes sliding across the workers. Kaoru hummed.

"I don't trust that guy as far as I can throw him. He was the one who got us in this place, we're sure as shit not trusting him again."

The sun was sinking even lower now, the last few segments of light casting a blood red glow on those by the train. Kaoru slapped his hands against the metal door of the compartment.

"Let's do this."

**~ADB~**

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><p>Sasuke watched the train as it sped along the railways from the rolling valleys and sandy hills on the outskirts of the city. It would reach the city by twelve if it continued at this speed. The sky was clear, the rising moon offering a silvery glow to the world below it. He lowered his binoculars, slipping them back into the satchel attached to his leathery black outfit.<p>

"It's entering the ambush zone. We should go now," he said softly.

Naruto nodded in agreement, sliding on a pair of dark glasses that Shikamaru had given him. They made things clearer in the night, the lenses thicker than normal glasses to accommodate the special micro technology the two geniuses had placed into it. On top of that, they doubled as communicators due to the small microphones that curved down the side to his mouth and the speakers that hooked into his ears.

"I can see several guards along the roof of the train, but they're crouching. Obviously they don't have a firm hold. We'll take them out first and then proceed to board," he strategized, hands curling around the handles before him.

Sasuke nodded, sliding his own pair of glasses on and receiving the same view. "Understood. Let's get moving." He twisted his hand, revving up the KTM modified bike he was perched atop. Naruto did the same, leaning down low over the handlebars before the two of them took off, dust and sand flying up behind them in a trail of speed.

They raced down the steep slope that defined the Eastern edge of their large city and which led out to the vast, newly named Suna desert. They reached the bottom of the slope and started on the straight lands, heading towards the oncoming train like ants approaching a black-shelled millipede.

Wind whipped past their faces, the hard crunch of rapidly vanishing sand underneath the wheels of their speedy bikes like a chorus to the nightly orchestra of the mission. Their blood was pumping in excitement, hands flexing around the handles of the bikes out of pure reflex and anticipation for a fight. The loudest sounds in their ears, apart from the roar of the bike's engines were their heartbeats. The organ was smashing against their ribcages, creating a fast-paced rhythm that drove them further into the intense action of the mission they faced.

A black bag was slung over each of their backs, containing a section of powerful explosives. They were to get to the engine room and all the compartments that held supplies, spreading out the explosives as evenly as they could before departing from the train. The detonator was built into their outfits, removing the risk of it getting stolen or lost in battle. Once they were safely out of the train and at a distance, they would simultaneously press the hidden buttons in the collar of their vests and the train would explode before it even reached the city limits. All anyone in the city would possibly see is a dim light in the far distance.

"We're coming up to the tracks. I'll take the left!'" Sasuke said into the small microphone as he veered away from Naruto.

"_Roger that. Don't get lost now!_" Naruto's singsong voice made Sasuke snort as he revved faster. He rode along the edge of the tracks, looking for an opening to get across. He smirked when he saw a small dune of sand up ahead and quickly swerved away from the tracks only to ride up the dune and soar over them to the other side. A whistle in his ear alerted him that Naruto had seen his move and was impressed. He smirked again, pleased with himself.

"_Okay, okay, here it comes baby! Take out the guards on top and be prepared for doors to open!_" Naruto reminded him as the train loomed towards them. Sasuke grunted a reply, removing one hand to reach back into his satchel and retrieve his gun. He clicked off the safety and held it at the ready, keeping the bike steady with one hand.

The train came speeding past them with a loud roar rivalling that of a primitive beast hunting its prey. It's sleek, black exterior had made it look like a long insect-like creature crawling across the sand from afar, but up close it was a large, ridge-edged monster carrying the seed of destruction in its depths.

Naruto felt the strong wind pushing against him as the train roared past and in response he swerved his bike. Sand, dust and small stones shot into the air, creating a wide circular arch behind him as he turned around and started to chase the train, a trail of dust clouds marking every meter he rode.

Sasuke had done the exact same, now riding alongside the train rather than against it and he saw the first guard aiming for him. Before he even bothered to raise his own gun, the guard was falling from the train roof after a shot hit him in the back.

"Nice shooting."

"_Thank you."_

Sasuke took out the next guard, knowing that by now someone had radioed what was happening into the interior of the train. Doors would be opening any minute now.

Naruto took out guard after guard, trying to get the roof cleared before they had to deal with other attackers from the train. The guards were sparse and soon there was no one left on the roof after his and Sasuke's combined shooting. Their marksmanship was perfect, never missing a target and now it was time for the more complicated bit of the boarding.

They edged their bikes closer to the tracks and the train, coming close enough until they could hold out a hand and skim the side. Of course, doing that would be stupid, the train was moving faster than they were, and if one of the touched the side to firmly, they would be pulled off balance and crash.

"I see a ladder approaching from behind. I'm going to board. Keep an eye out for your chance!" Naruto ordered Sasuke, glancing behind him to check his oncoming opportunity.

"_Be careful moron. Don't go losing any fingers."_

"Shut up bastard."

Sasuke's deep chuckle rang in his ears as he waited for the ladder to catch up with him. When it approached he reached out, grabbing a firm hold of the nearest rung. As soon as his fingers closed around he felt a jerking sensation and he flew forward. As quickly as he could he lifted his legs off the pedals, jumping out of his seat so that he wouldn't get pulled back by his bike as it tumbled over now that no one was steering it upright. At first there was only sand being upturned from the wreckage, but as Naruto hung from the rung, fighting against the wind to try and get onto the ladder, there was a loud crash above the roar of the train and a burst of fire and light blossomed behind him. He turned his head, watching the fast vanishing remnants of his bike as they burned under the flames and smoke rose into the air.

"Goodbye, my good bike! You served me well!" he mourned.

"_You're such an idiot."_

Naruto pulled a face, miming Sasuke's insult like a child as he got his grip and started to climb up the ladder. He reached the roof, climbing onto it and keeping low to avoid getting blown right off.

"Wow, this wind is hectic!" he mumbled, crawling along the roof to see if there was a hatch nearby. From his earphones he could hear Sasuke grunting as he found his own ladder or entrance, and soon there was another burst of fire as Sasuke's bike fell to the same fate as Naruto's.

"_There's a hatch by me. I'm going in. Hurry up."_

"Roger that," Naruto groaned, continuing his slow crawl along the roof. His hair whipped about his face, his cheeks stinging from the cold. He diligently continued onwards, until finally he caught sight of a hatch a few feet away.

"Finally!" he grumbled, moving with more vigour towards it.

Before he could reach it, however, it swung open and an all too familiar face peered out.

"Hello Agent. It's been a while," Kaoru greeted menacingly.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke slid into the train, landing in-between two armed men standing in the compartment. As soon as his feet touched the floor, he struck his elbows out, bashing them both in the back of the head and knocking them out cold.<p>

The door to the compartment slid open, another henchmen yelling out in shock and trying to reach for his gun. Sasuke swiftly shot him, silencing him in one go and he slammed the door shut again.

Looking around he took note of the fact that this was more a transcending compartment than a storage one. Through the glass of the window in the door he saw seats in the next compartment. He walked over to the other door and peered through. It was dark, but he could just make out the outline of what appeared to be boxes stacked up high.

He grabbed the handle, but before he could do anything a bullet slammed into the door just above his hand. He froze, hearing the soft thuds of someone's footsteps as they adjusted their stand behind him.

"Just step away from the door, Agent."

"I know that voice," he murmured, turning around slowly. He took in the person pointing a gun at his face. "I was right. It's you," he fished around for the name before it clicked. "Kamari."

Kamari smiled pleasantly. "I admit you took me by surprise the last time. I don't usually carry a firearm or a weapon with me when I'm at the Enterprise. But out here," he shook his head, chuckling, "Well, out here's a bit of a different story."

Sasuke lowered his hand, turning to face the red head fully. "...Our agency has Sasori."

"We know. Our leader is not happy, by the way. He's really, really mad," Kamari looked visibly disturbed. "You've already captured two of our main heads," he informed.

"How many main heads are there?" Sasuke asked quickly. Kamari opened his mouth before stopping, his lips pulling up into an amused grin.

"Ha ha, nice one," he said and Sasuke was unnerved by how...cheerful...he sounded. He was different from the meek man he'd held hostage in the elevator only days before. This one was confident and also, it seemed, a bit crazy.

"So you won't tell me?" he asked slowly and Kamari hummed.

"That would be a rather stupid thing to do," he said and his eyes darted to the roof briefly. "I wonder how my brother is doing with your partner," he mused aloud.

Sasuke tensed. "What do you mean?" he asked, hand inching backwards to his satchel so that he could get his gun.

"Don't even try!" Kamari snapped, cocking his gun and making Sasuke pause. "You're not going anywhere."

"Actually," Sasuke drawled and then he flung out his wrist. A thin blade shot through the air and Kamari dodged to the side, the blade slicing through the air right in front of his eyes and narrowly missing his nose. He heard a door slam and turned to see Sasuke entering the other compartment.

Cursing, he gave chase, slamming through the door and firing a shot at Sasuke who quickly ducked behind the boxes and got his own gun to start returning the fire.

Above on the train roof, Naruto was also running. However, he was running in the opposite direction that Sasuke had, and instead of avoiding bullets he was avoiding the deadly slices of a sword.

"Who the hell uses swords nowadays anyway?" he roared over the wind, rolling to avoid another clean arch. There was a spark where metal met metal and he heard the laughter that followed his statement.

"People who have the skills obviously!" Kaoru answered, taking a leap, the wind pushing him forward faster than normal and he swung down, slicing through the air. Naruto moved to the side, the blade missing his stomach by mere inches. He reached out, bringing his arm up to deliver a blow to Kaoru's chin. The red head grunted as he stumbled backwards, almost blown off his feet from the strong wind whistling by. The long sword he held was glinting in the moonlight, the deadly edge of the blade reflecting the silver coin in the sky. Kaoru's jacket flapped wildly behind him, and the tip of his pony-tail was whipping around his head, making it look like the long strands of his hair were alive.

"You know, surely this is a bit unfair," Naruto called, standing up and holding up his hands, "I have a gun, and if I get to it in time, which I will, you're dead," he said. Kaoru's eyebrow rose above the black glasses he wore and for a moment Naruto wondered if they were like his specialized glasses since it was dark. But that wasn't possible, these glasses were created by Shikamaru and Chouji, and they never gave their items to anyone else but the agents.

"You may have a point there," Kaoru said slowly. "But then again, that's only if you manage to reach your gun in time," he added.

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "You think I won't be able to?" he asked accusingly.

"Exactly." Without further conversation, Kaoru was running forward. Naruto wanted to snort as he reached back. The man was fast, but he wasn't fast enough. His gun was in his hand and he raised it.

A metallic clunk made him freeze and his eyes widened as he saw the thin blade sticking out the end of his gun.

"Motherfu—"

A kick to his chest sent him sliding across the train roof and he rolled over, using his hands to stop his momentum so that he didn't careen over the edge of the train.

"_Kyuubi? Are you okay?_"

Sasuke's voice in his ear almost made him lose his grip in surprise.

"Yeah! I'm good! I've got that psycho Kaoru or something on my ass. You?"

"_I'm dealing with his twin. The fucker's a pretty good marksman when he's got a gun. Think you'll be okay on your own?_"

"Oh yeah, I'll be fine," Naruto assured even as he flipped backwards to avoid a slice aimed for his legs. "Will you be okay?"

"_Hn. As if I could lose to the likes of them._"

Naruto grinned. "I know right—" he cut himself off, avoiding a dagger that was thrown his way. "Yeah...I have to go! Got some ass to kick!"

"_Same here. When you're finished up there, get down in the train and start setting explosives!"_

"ROGER THAT!" Naruto yelled as he dived off the side of the train to avoid another vicious jab. He had planned this, luckily, and grabbed the ladder that was resting on the side. He swung himself around, using the wind to give him a boost as he soared upwards and far away from Kaoru as he landed back onto the train roof, skidding a bit before stopping.

He pulled out his gun again, trying to dislodge the blade that was stuck in the barrel. Seriously, the guy's aim was impeccable. The blade had no handle, only a small circular bit at the end and he knew he wasn't going to get it out without some blood being spilled. He gripped the blade and pulled, wincing as his fingers were cut. Blood trickled through his fingers until there was a sudden jerk and the blade was out. He threw it to the side and looked back, cursing when Kaoru descended upon him like a black reaper, slashing down. He dropped his gun by default, reaching up and catching the blade between his hands, stopping it short of his face.

He groaned as Kaoru pressed down, trying to get the blade to slice his face in half. The guy was strong. He'd obviously had some kind of training, even if it hadn't been professional. Despite being in a situation that called for his concentration, he found himself wondering whether Sasuke was alright.

Down in the train, Sasuke pressed back against the box as another bullet narrowly missed his face as he ducked away. He had been jumping back and forth, behind the box and out for about ten minutes now, trying to get a shot on the nuisance keeping him in this compartment.

"Just give up and this can end!" Kamari called warily, his pistol aimed at the area Sasuke had ducked behind.

"Ha ha, that's funny," Sasuke called back sarcastically and quickly shuffled to the side to avoid a bullet slamming through the box edge. He crawled along the side, planning on going the opposite way. As he turned the corner, he caught a glimpse of movement down the other end before there was a shower of sparks over his head as a bullet ricocheted off the wall above him. He ducked, crawling back as he heard the scornful laugh of his opponent.

"I'm smarter than that Agent!" Kamari called as he slid more rounds into his pistol. Sasuke heard the clicking to indicate he was reloading and took his chance, running out of his hiding spot and firing a shot. Kamari heard the bang a second before the light in the compartment went out. He cursed loudly, ducking down and cocking his gun.

There were muted steps somewhere on the other side of the compartment and he fired a wild shot.

Sasuke heard the bullet hit the wall to his right and smirked, glad that he could see in the dark with his glasses while his opponent was useless. He took the time to slide an explosive charge out of his pack, attaching it to the stack of heavy-guarded boxes. He fixed it into place and activated it so that it would go off when the detonator was set off.

Another shot was fired, closer than the first, and he knew that Kamari was walking towards his end of the cart, undoubtedly braving the chance of getting shot in order to prevent him from escaping.

He crawled out of his hiding spot, edging towards the man standing in the middle of the cart, gun held at the ready. He stood up, smirking at the fact that he was within sight of the man but he couldn't be seen. Somehow it felt unfair for him to kill the guy in this condition, but he couldn't just let him get away. It would be problematic.

So instead of shooting him, he lunged forward and delivered a harsh blow to the man's face, elbowing him straight in the nose. Kamari cried out in pain, stumbling back and clutching at his bleeding, and most likely broken, nose as he hit the wall.

"Fucking shit!" he yelled, the sound wet and muffled by blood and his hands. Sasuke smirked and turned, heading to the other compartment while the man sat on the floor, hissing and cursing out.

'_That will keep him away long enough to get this finished,_' Sasuke thought as he went over to the next stack of boxes. He cracked open a lid, peering inside to see evenly packed vials of blood. Obviously it contained the virus and Sasuke glared at the little glass holders as if they were mocking him.

"Tch. Stupid enemies," he mumbled bitterly, shoving the lid back on and pulling out another explosive. He latched it on but before he could activate it a sudden yell in his ear made him jump.

"_Son of a bitch!_"

Sasuke placed a hand over his ear, closing in on the sound. "Na-Kyuubi? What's wrong?" he asked, catching himself. He heard another scream and his heart thudded heavily. "Kyuubi?"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto kicked out, his foot sinking into Kaoru's stomach and sending the man sprawling on the train roof, choking on air. His sword slid off the roof, clattering down to the desert where it vanished in a half-second. Climbing to his feet, Naruto turned and rushed towards the hatch. He was about to jump inside when something collided against his back, knocking him forward and over the opening.<p>

"Not on my watch, pretty boy!" Kaoru growled, wrapping his arms around Naruto's neck and squeezing tightly. Naruto gripped his arms, clenching his jaw and tightening his neck muscles in resistance. He pulled at the red head's arms, trying to loosen them but he had a firm grip. Puffing out a strained breath, he forced himself to his feet and started to bed back, pushing Kaoru back until they both lost balance and fell to the roof. For a second, his grip was loose and Naruto slipped out of his hold, sliding backwards along the metal and then standing. He reached for his gun, his eyes widening when he realized it wasn't in his bag.

'_That's right, I dropped it when I stopped his sword attack,_' he remembered, looking around frantically and hoping it hadn't fallen off the train. He caught sight of it glinting in the light, caught on a handlebar. He lunged for it, using the wind to give him a speed boost. Just as his hand closed around the handle, he felt a sharp, fiery pain spreading out from his lower back.

"Son of a bitch!" he cried, twisting around to see his enemy glaring at him, a dagger protruding from his back and the bloodied fingers wrapped around it, holding it there.

"You agents are way more trouble than your worth," Kaoru snarled, and twisted the dagger. Naruto screamed out, pain lacing through his back. He heard Sasuke's voice in his ear but he couldn't make out what he was saying. Feebly, he kicked his leg out to try and knock the man away from him. Blood was soaking his clothes as the knife continued to turn in his flesh.

"You...fucking...sadist," he gasped and Kaoru rasped a laugh out at his words.

"No arguing that," he admitted. Something started to beep and Naruto gasped as the dagger was ripped from his back. "It looks like our time is up," Kaoru mumbled and started to stagger away from Naruto, heading to the hatch. "I'll go take care of your little friend first and then I'll dispose of you both. The desert will take care of your bodies."

Naruto growled angrily, his muscles rippling under his skin as a short burst of fire spread throughout his body. He felt the blood flow come to a slow halt and turned, glaring at the retreating man with reddened eyes.

"Don't turn your back on an enemy," he snarled and brought his hand around, gun aimed. His finger tapped the trigger over and over, bullet after bullet zipping through the air. He watched as if it was slow motion as Kaoru turned, bending back and avoiding the first bullet by an inch. He straightened up, his triumphant smirk vanishing as the second and third bullet slammed into his chest and stomach. The force knocked him back, the wind pushing him further until he was rolling across the roof. Splotches of blood decorated the metal surface until finally he vanished, falling into the same hatch he'd come from earlier. Naruto wobbled over to the opening, looking down inside and seeing the man lying on the floor, his jacket splayed over him while his arms were lying out beside him. His face was pressed to the floor, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and Naruto saw thin streams of red liquid fanning out from under him.

Despite the fact that he was an enemy, Naruto looked away, closing his eyes in a show of respect and remorse. The wind roared around him as the train took a slight turn, the city becoming larger as it drew nearer. They were running out of time. There was no more spare time for a delay.

"...Sorry man," Naruto mumbled as he slid into the train and headed for the door. "You seemed like an okay dude, when you're not trying to kill me."

He walked into the next compartment, closing one eye for better aim as he took out the first guard standing there. A bang and a splatter of red was all the accompanied his move before he was crouching with a wince, placing the first explosive on the stack of boxes.

"_Goddammit! Naruto are you there?_"

Naruto almost jumped out of his skin at Sasuke's voice roaring in his ear and he winced as the small speaker whined.

"Yes! Yes, fuck!" he replied, pulling the glasses off and sticking a finger in his ear to try and stop the ringing.

"_I've been calling you for ages, you bloody imbecile! Why were you screaming, you stupid fool?_" Sasuke demanded angrily, and Naruto sighed as he reached back, feeling the closing wound on his back.

"I got stabbed in the back, quite literally," he said as he moved to the next cart, seeing no guards in this one.

"_...Are you okay?_"

Naruto smiled at the thinly veiled tone of worry. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's Hulk-hour now, so I'm indestructible for the time being," he reassured, moving into the next cart and elbowing the guard by the door. The man slammed into the wall, nose completely smashed in and blood dribbling down his face in small torrents.

"_Good. We've got fifteen minutes left before the train reaches the end of the safe zone. We need to finish up before then._"

Naruto smirked. "Let's do this in eight minutes then."

"_Fuck you,_" was Sasuke's reply, but Naruto heard the grin in his voice. He sported a large one of his own as he moved on to the next cart. He grabbed the handle, jumping in surprise when it came off in his hand after he opened the door.

"Oops," he mumbled, turning to look at the stunned men in the cart, their guns held in limp grips. "It's okay, I'm sure it's a glue-on!" he said lightly before throwing the handle at the first guard.

The man ended up going through the window along with the handle.

His friend followed soon after, but not because Naruto threw him. No, the guy had taken one look at the casual looking blond and dropped his gun, promptly jumping out the window after his friend.

The cart stank of urine.

"Gross," Naruto mumbled as he moved to place the next explosive.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke opened the next door, swiftly bringing his gun around and eliminating everyone in the area with single shots. Once they lay on the floor in their own life essence he moved to the stack of boxes, sliding the explosive onto the side and sticking it into place.<p>

The sliding of metal alerted him to the door opening and he spun around, gun aimed and ready.

"Whoa! Don't shoot!" Naruto said, waving his hands urgently.

Sasuke stayed still for a second before smirking, flipping his gun around on his finger before sliding it back. "Hn. It's not like it'd do much anyway," he said, turning to make sure he'd secured his explosive.

Naruto gave a dry laugh, walking over and slinging his empty bag on top of the boxes. "This is the last cart. Can we go now?" he asked in a whiny voice and Sasuke punched his leg to make him shut up as he finished adjusting the final explosive.

"Yes, you annoying ingrate, we can go," he drawled, shoving his own empty bag onto the stack and leading the way out the cart towards the one he had come in from. "We'll get on the roof and then get off."

"Now now, surely you can wait for the bedroom?" Naruto joked as they reached an open hatch two carts away from the very front of the train and jumped up. Sasuke laughed as he swung himself up onto the roof, holding out a hand to give Naruto a boost. When they were both standing on the sleek metal, the wind whipping their hair about, he smirked and leant in.

"Interesting proposition you made there," he teased.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Whatever, you horny—"

Fire erupted behind him, the deafening thunder of an explosion making their ears ring. The train was jolted violently and the screams of tortured metal were like the cries of a million birds.

"Holy—"

"—_Fuck_!"

Both men were thrown forwards, further along the train roof and away from the explosion. They landed, barely managing to stop themselves from falling off the train. Hurrying to their feet, they held onto each other for support as they looked at the front of the train.

The very first car-the engine itself- had completely exploded, the large metal cart tilting skywards as it burned. The second cart was going to slam into it the moment it hit the rails again and then the entire train was bound to smash together like an accordion.

"Move! Move!" Sasuke roared, tugging on Naruto's arms to get him moving. Snapping out of his shock Naruto started to run alongside Sasuke. The wind was blowing against them, making their movements slower than normal as they raced away from the front of the train.

They had just cleared the third cart when the second exploded too, creating another heated blast that rocked the entire train and made them stumble. Their footing was shaky and they glanced back to see the second cart burning, smashing into the third as they cleared the fourth. Another explosion went off the moment the cars collided, sending them forward again.

"The explosives are going off prematurely!" Naruto yelled frantically as they stopped stumbling and started sprinting again.

"The flames of the wreckage must be short fusing their wires!" Sasuke yelled back, jumping over a hatch. He thought he saw a puddle of blood but he couldn't stop to look. Another explosion went off, the train jerking violently.

"Go, go go go!" he yelled over and over, urging both Naruto and himself to move faster and escape the oncoming death that followed them on fiery wings.

"We're reaching the end of the train!" Naruto yelled, barely audible over the roar of another car smashing into the others. Sasuke could see the end. The cars were exploding at an incredibly disturbing rate, and he knew that they would not be completely cleared of the final explosion.

"We're going to take some damage!" he informed as they reached the last car. "Take a running leap!"

"No shit, I was going to stop and let the explosion give me a push!" Naruto spat, his head turned to watch as the next car rocketed into the sky like a comet, a tail of flames and wreckage following its wake. The heat was unbearable; they were so close to the massive pile of pure destruction.

Sasuke ignored Naruto's reply, instead reaching out and grabbing his hand. Their fingers wrapped together as they reached the edge of the train, taking a giant leap and pushing themselves away from the final cart. Naruto soared through the air faster than Sasuke, his extra speed and strength gaining him some advantage. He pulled Sasuke along with him, their hand fastened together like steel.

They were no more than three feet from the last car before it exploded. A pulse of heated air, decorated with animalistic fire caressing their backs before shoving them forward with a fierce and thunderous momentum. They yelled out as they went hurtling through the air, their hands breaking apart as Sasuke started to spin and Naruto went head over heels before they both hit the ground, bouncing and rolling in the thick sand as shards of metal, crushed glass and random bits of destruction rained around them.

Naruto landed on his stomach, feeling only a margin of the pain he knew he should've felt. As shrapnel stabbed the air around him, he turned his head and saw Sasuke land several feet away. He landed on his side, rolling before settling on his stomach. Naruto hastily started to crawl towards him, reaching him in seconds and covering his body with his own. He felt the small, flaming projectiles land on his back, burning through his clothes and simmering on his skin. There was only a bit of pain.

Eventually the thunder of explosions died down to the dull roar of a fire and Naruto pulled himself away from the man below him. Sasuke sat up immediately, swiping his hands across Naruto's back and getting rid of the fiery rubble causing his flesh damage. Once they were all gone he grabbed the blond's shoulders and dragged him forward.

Their mouths smashed together in a fierce and messy kiss that only lasted a few seconds before Sasuke was pulling away.

"Thanks," he panted and Naruto grinned lazily, not quite realizing what had just happened.

"No problem Duck-Butt," he said, petting Sasuke's head. The raven slapped his hand away, laughing breathlessly. They heard a loud creak and turned, watching as one of the train cars seemed to curl into itself, the metal shrieking under the heat of the flames.

"Wow...I don't know what the hell happened but," Naruto gave Sasuke a smile, "Mission accomplished either way?"

Sasuke stared at him for a moment before smirking again, nodding and holding up his hand. Naruto grinned, reaching up to smack his hand against Sasuke's in a manly handshake. He did not expect Sasuke to yank him forward into a rough kiss, tongue to cheek and his other hand playing with the zipper on his vest. He pulled away, wiping at his mouth and sending a partial glare to the raven who only looked partially guilty.

"I thought we were taking things slowly and still in the friend stage?" he asked and Sasuke shrugged.

"The voice in my head tells me kissing is a part of dating," he argued blandly and Naruto sent him an incredulous look. "Hey, don't blame me. Blame Mochi."

"Uh...Bless you?"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Emotionless black eyes watched as the two figures walked away from the wreckage, heading back towards the city. They were making exaggerated motions with their hands, obviously talking animatedly between themselves. Perhaps even arguing over something.<p>

Itachi was too far away to hear a word they were saying, so he couldn't be sure. His hand was hooked in his pocket as he stood atop a rocky hill overlooking the desert. Unlike before, he wore a brown shirt and sandy shorts, helping him blend in with the desert around him so as to avoid detection via helicopter or anything else.

His observation was brought to a halt when he heard the huffing and puffing sounds of someone approaching him from the side and his eyes lazily slid to the side while a smirk settled on his face.

"Hn. You look like you just climbed off of a barbeque," he commented.

Kamari growled softly, shaking his head to try and rid it of the blackened ash and soot that covered his entire face. His nose was back in place, the remnants of blood smeared around it. He grunted as he struggled up to the top of the hill, crying out when the large, blackened bundle on his back almost fell off. He twisted around, risking his own fall in the process, to grab it and secure it safely.

Itachi watched as the red head struggled onto the top of the hill, taking in the multiple injuries and burns. "They were strong opponents then?" he asked blandly.

Kamari panted for breath, finally arriving on the hilltop. He set the heavy burden on his back down and slowly, carefully, pulled away the material.

Kaoru's head lolled to the side, his eyelids squeezing while his jaw clenched in pain. His breathing was shallow, but still there and he tried to move his arms but they wouldn't cooperate. Kamari hushed him, reaching out a blackened hand to brush away some of his hair.

"Just stay still bro," he mumbled, "You're still healing. You're body's offering more resistance than other subjects so it's taking longer."

Itachi raised a brow, easily seeing the two deep bullet wounds in the other twin's chest and stomach and the blood that was soaking the front of his shirt and the back of his jacket. "How is he still alive?" he asked, the slightest hint of interest in his voice.

Kamari glanced up at him, a look of concern and guilt flashing through his eyes. At Itachi's cold glare he reached a trembling hand into his jacket pocket and withdrew two empty glass vials. He held them up, showing Itachi and the raven's face smoothed in understanding.

"I see. When did you inject them?" he asked, crouching beside Kaoru and reaching out to prod at a burn wound on his face. Before his fingers could make contact, a hand closed around his wrist. He looked up in surprise, seeing Kamari staring back at him defiantly. There was still fear in the man's eyes, but his grip was firm.

"Don't touch him."

The command was so soft Itachi almost missed it, but his ears picked it up. He stared at the red head, boring his gaze into his skull and watching as slowly, the bravery and defiance crumbled and anxiety and fear rose up in their place. Just as Kamari's grip began to tremble, he smirked and pulled his hand back.

"Hn. So, when did you inject them?" he asked again, standing up and sliding his hands into his pockets.

Kamari turned back to his brother, wiping some dirt off of his face gently and inspecting the burns on his skin. They were beginning to fade.

"Just before we confronted the agents. They only took affect about five minutes after though," he added, wiping his nose. "Those agents are strong, especially if one of them took out my brother when he was armed."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Is your brother well-trained?"

"Not officially. He was part of several fight clubs in school before he dropped out and he's done mercenary work for other small-time companies," Kamari explained carefully plucking the buttons on Kaoru's shirt apart and pulling it open. His chest was marred by the two holes, the flesh around them uplifted and bruised, but he could see that they were healing rapidly.

"You need to take the bullets out," Itachi stated, turning away to watch as a helicopter appeared on the horizon from the city, heading towards the two specks of black among the dark sand below.

Kamari gulped, already knowing the grisly task he had ahead. Taking a deep breath he leant forward. He had no tools to work with, so he had to use his hands. Not a promising idea.

"Kaoru? Can you hear me?" he mumbled nervously; his voice was shaking badly but he kept his hands steady, knowing he had to be careful. "Okay, this is probably going to hurt like a bitch, but please don't kill me when you wake up," he pleaded before lowering his fingers into the first wound in his stomach.

Kaoru jerked up, a low growl of pain crawling out of his throat as Kamari stuck his fingers further in, locating the bullet. He was sweating profusely as Kaoru writhed beneath him and he used his other hand to push him down, trying to hold him steady. It was difficult and he was worried that he would cause more damage than good before even reaching the bullet. Suddenly Itachi's foot was pressing against Kaoru's chest, between both wounds and steadying him.

Kamari looked up in shock but the other man was simply watching the helicopter boredly. "Hurry up and pull the bullets out. It won't do to have to dispose of a dead body right now," he said monotonously.

"That's not just a dead body," Kamari growled before yanking his fingers up, pulling the small metal ball out along with it. "That's my brother," he finished, tossing the bullet away and sweeping a bloodied hand across his twin's cheek with a murmured 'sorry'.

Then he moved to the next wound.

Itachi watched the process, seeing the way Kamari used his now free hand to stroke his twin's cheek in a calming, caring matter while he whispered hushed, soothing words to try and calm him. His eyes were watery even as he pulled the second bullet out and threw it far away. Then he was leaning over his twin, cradling his head to his chest while Itachi removed his foot and watched the interaction with interest.

'_So emotional,_' he thought, watching as Kaoru's eyes fluttered open and he gave a pained smile to his twin, who looked like he'd just been granted a wish and started to babble incomprehensibly. '_I wonder...are you that emotional over me, little brother?_' Itachi thought as he turned cold eyes to the helicopter now taking off towards the city once again.

"I'm alright...I'm alright," Kaoru was mumbling, wincing as he tried to move but Kamari just kept him still, running his fingers through his hair. "Good idea, by the way...using the virus..." he drifted off, eyes sliding closed as exhaustion caught up with him. Kamari smiled peacefully, letting his twin sleep in his arms with no complaint.

Itachi turned away from them, walking across the hilltop. "Our ride will be here soon," he informed, glancing at Kamari over his shoulder. "Get rid of those vials."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>*cautiously sneaks back and scribbles a big 'Sorry for delay, please leave a review nonetheless, and I promise to update on time next week!' on blackboard.<strong>

**Readers: *angrily clear throats***

**Me: O.O ... Q-Q H-Have mercy?... *runs away screaming as readers chase***

**Kaoru: *walks in, shakes head, and quickly scribbles a small 'I DEMAND reviews for getting SHOT in this damn chapter' under message before stalking out***


	15. The Frozen Lab

**That moment you step out of your bedroom, see the sun shining brightly, hear the birds twittering excitedly and the laughter of children outside...and you just know today's gonna SUCK! =.=**

**What's up everyone! Here we have the next chapter...I daresay it's a bit shorter than normal but considering how LONG the other chapters have been, I'm excusing myself! *nods* Yes, yes...**

**What to say, what to say... I'm falling behind on these chapters, so I'm going to have to write my ass off before next Wednesday to try and keep my lead. T^T **

**Hmm, this chapter..this chapter... :/ Well, this chapter is this chapter...yep...that's what it is... ¬_¬**

**Kaoru: Christ in Heaven, we get it! You're not too sure about how you feel about this chapter! Now let THEM read it and get on with it! ):**

**Alright, alright! Everyone, thank you for the reviews...I'm so happy that you all like this story, and the number of reviews is... *whistles impressively***

**Kamari: You can't whistle -_-**

**I can try can't I? :(**

**Disclaimer/Warning: Me no own, and you should already know! (blood in this one)**

**NOTE: There may have been some confusion last chapter, so I'll just make it clear. The twins did use the virus, but they are not like Naruto now. They don't have the same blood-type, so the virus wore off after a while. Just wanted to clear that up. :3  
><strong>

**~ADB~  
><strong>

* * *

><p>There was much activity in the dingy hallways, the low rumble of people rushing back and forth on the metal grated floor clashing with the sounds of people talking and barking orders and replies. The flickering lights did little to aid the people that milled through the cramped hallways, and there were complaints of how cold it all was down there.<p>

A man carrying a folder of important notes elbowed his way through the packed corridors, snapping at people to get out of his way. He had to get all these notes to the leader or else he would get into such trouble. He stumbled when someone knocked into his shoulder harshly and he dropped the folder. A stream of angry curses and threats cascaded from his mouth as he bent down to pick them up. The man who had bumped him also bent, offering some assistance and giving him a helping man.

"I'm so sorry about that. It was my fault," the man said apologetically. The note-bearer sneered.

"Watch where you're going then, dickhead!" he snapped, and pushed passed the other. In the flickering light, the man's round glasses gleamed before he pushed them up with two fingers, slanted eyes glimmering intently.

'_Hmph. Some people have no manners_,' he thought, turning and following the surge of people down the hall towards the elevators. He slid his hands deep into his pockets, smirking and curling his fingers around the folded slips of paper that he had sneakily slipped into his pocket while the note-bearer had been cursing him. '_Lucky for me though_.'

He stepped into the packed elevator, slinking around in the back until he reached the middle floor. With ease he moved out of the small crowd and into the empty hallways, not looking back as he started to walk through the dimly lit corridor.

In the labyrinth that was the third floor, he made his way to one of the less noticeable doors, a supply closet beyond it. Checking around for anyone, he slid inside and shut the door tightly. Clicking on the small light, he pulled out the notes he'd stolen and crouched down, reading over them carefully.

"Ten main heads, including the leader...But the agency has two already. So they're down to eight. The leader's getting rather disturbed if he's moving things ahead like this," he mumbled, and then his eyes widened as he took in the scribbled words on the third note. "I'd better inform Orochimaru about this!" he stood up, tucking the notes back into his pocket. He pressed his ear to the door, making sure no one was hiding beyond it before he turned away again.

He reached into his shirt, locating the inner pocket and pulling out a slim, unusual and untraceable phone. Pressing one of the only two buttons on the small keypad, he waited as he heard the dial tone.

A click was heard.

"_You have news?_"

"Yes. And it's quite big."

"_...Will I start clapping by the end of it, Kabuto?"_

Kabuto smirked. "Knowing how sadistic you can be...yes, I think so."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Kiba sighed as he walked towards the debriefing room, looking over the folder in his hands. Since Kakashi was out on his own mission, Kiba was left to debrief Sasuke and Naruto and as much as he liked those guys, he still had other things to do.<p>

He rounded the corner and let out a grunt as something collided with his midriff, forcing him to double over.

"Oh shit! I'm sorry!"

Kiba coughed, placing a hand on his bruised waist and looked up to see Sakura fretting at the other end of a metal cart carrying medical supplies.

"Are you alright?" she asked, stepping around and placing a concerned hand on his shoulder. He straightened, wincing but nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine! No worries," he assured her, smiling and petting her hand. She sighed with relief before bending over to pick up his fallen folder. Her eyes darted over the page as she handed it to him and she gasped.

"Is that their next mission?" she asked, eyes wide. Kiba nodded, sliding the page back into the folder.

"Yep. It looks like we've finally got our extra Ace in the card deck. If this mission is successful, that organization is going to go down faster than an old guy in a college porno!" Kiba grinned while Sakura placed a hand over her mouth to stop gagging.

"Lovely comparison, Kiba," she mumbled in disgust and he shrugged, uncaring. "But...I noticed that little footnote," she added and Kiba pulled the page out to read it. "How do you think Sasuke is going to react?" she asked.

Kiba snorted loudly. "Well, how did he react to Naruto?" he asked and Sakura stared at him blankly before she grinned.

"Oh...I pity the fool who has to debrief them," she said in a deep voice as she started to push her cart away. Kiba laughed, nodding as he continued on his own before he remembered that _he_ was the one debriefing them.

"Goddammit!"

Kiba was still mumbling and groaning as he approached his office, letting himself in only to slam backwards against the door in surprise.

"What the hell?" he gasped, blinking.

Sasuke and Naruto looked back at him, standing side by side and looking for all the world innocent. Kiba blinked again, rubbing his eyes before looking at them again. He could've sworn he saw them inches from each other when he first stepped in.

"Are you alright Kiba?" Naruto asked, sounding genuinely concerned while Sasuke was just glaring at him.

Yeah, nothing new there.

"Uh...yeah, I guess I was just seeing things," Kiba mumbled, stepping away from the door and eyeing the two innocent-was that a tick in Sasuke's jaw?- looking agents. "Okay, well I've got your next mission brief here!" he said, sitting at his desk and opening the folder.

Naruto and Sasuke stood before him, arms crossed and waiting for their next mission. Kiba scanned the page briefly before sighing and looking up.

"Here's the deal: We recently gained information that there is a remote base up to the North that this organization has used as a laboratory. It is, essentially, where this virus is being created. Your mission is to destroy that base. We've already got the details on the virus, and our main objective is to stop its production and existence. So you need to turn that place into a giant crater! Understood?"

"Hn. Is that the nutshell version?" Sasuke asked in amusement and Kiba nodded.

"There were a lot of big words in this folder, be grateful I didn't just read it to you guys," he said cheekily.

Naruto nodded, linking his hands behind his head. "So, is that all? When can we go get geared up and when do we leave?"

"Ah, you leave later tonight, after getting some check-ups from Sakura, clothing from the wardrobe department-it's freezing where you're headed- and then geared up. You will be going in by jet, of course, and will be picked up via truck that will take you to the airfield again," Kiba said, confirming each thing in the folder. He closed it and linked his hands. Here came the hard part. "Also...there's another thing."

Sasuke looked annoyed. "Why do I get the feeling I'm going to want to kill someone by the end of this?" he asked darkly and Kiba laughed nervously.

"...The Chief is sending two other agents with you on this mission," he said, quickly forcing it all out.

Sasuke punched Naruto.

"Hey! What the hell is wrong with you, dickhead!_?_" Naruto yelled, rubbing at his arm. Sasuke shrugged.

"It's your hulk-hour as you call it and I needed to punch something. But if you're really upset I can punch Kiba instead," he said blandly, raising his fist to the brunet before them. Kiba pushed his chair back, toppling over to avoid the hit that Naruto was already stopping.

"Whoa! Sasuke, geez, what's the issue? It's just two extra agents to give us a hand! After all, the lab is probably huge! We will be cutting down our time and effort by having two helpers!" he reasoned.

"Naruto's right! Absolutely right!" Kiba joined in, his voice cracking when it looked like Sasuke was going to use his leg instead. "It's just for one mission!" he said, covering his head.

Sasuke continued to glare acid daggers at him until finally he let out an annoyed grunt and folded his arms over his chest. Even if Kiba was relaying the orders, they still came from the Chief. He had no choice.

"Fine. Who are the two idiots coming to join?" he asked grumpily.

Kiba twisted his fingers together, thinking back to the footnote. "Well, the first is Agent Smoker," he said and Sasuke's head perked up.

"Wait, the chief's son is joining us? I thought he was on leave?" he said and Kiba shook his shaggy head.

"Nah man, with the way things have been all agents have been recalled unless utterly impossible," he explained, leaning against his desk.

"The fact that he's the Chief's son must mean he's really good right?" Naruto asked, looking between the two. Sasuke nodded.

"He does have one of the higher records in the agency, but it's dulled by the fact that he came here from the government service."

"You mean he was with FBI?" Naruto asked, eyes wide. It was rare for the agency to accept someone that worked for the government because of the amount of corruption that it could cause. The agency served the country and its people, not the politicians and their parties.

Kiba nodded to his question. "He was raised with the agency, but believed that it was wrong for not pledging its allegiance to the president directly. The agency works in the background without having to rely on official orders or clearance. We are slightly illegal, but we do our jobs and save lives without the red tape...mostly."

"Who funds your agency anyway?" Naruto asked, thinking back to his own agency which was funded by several secret sponsors.

"We have several people in the political area who stream through a minimal amount of government funding to us. It's such a small amount compared to what those guys in parliament are carrying in their damn wallets that they don't notice. Well, that and a few donations from people who know the Chief, old agents and several clients who are grateful. Money comes from various sources and we have some damn good accountants that make sure that not even a single dime is wasted," Kiba informed him, grinning at being so knowledgeable. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the brunet, turning to his partner.

"Basically, Asuma was under a lot of scrutiny when he suddenly joined the ranks, but he's proven himself time and time again that he's loyal to the agency and is not a government spy," he concluded.

Naruto nodded, understanding before turning back to Kiba who was settling into his chair. "Okay, so we have Agent Smoker...Why 'Smoker'?" he asked, raising a brow.

"He smokes," Kiba and Sasuke said simultaneously and Naruto laughed.

"Right, so we have him. Who's the second guy?" he asked and Kiba hummed.

"I don't know them but you will," he said, looking directly at Naruto. "The Chief has requested that another agent from your agency be sent. I think he asked for someone specific too. They sent the person who was 'following your success record' if I remember," he said and Naruto shot up.

"Following my record? There's no way you mean—"

The door burst open with a loud bang.

Kiba jumped so hard his chair toppled backwards again and he fell to the floor, Sasuke took an immediate step back to assess the situation, but Naruto turned wide eyes to the doorway.

"AHA! I found you at last!" the newcomer yelled with a cracking voice, pointing a slender finger straight at Naruto whose jaw dropped.

"I can't believe it," he gasped before a huge grin broke out over his face and he rushed forwards, enveloping the newcomer in a hug and spinning him around. "Konohamaru! You little shit-face!"

Sasuke watched curiously as the short brunet laughed as Naruto set him down. He looked no older than sixteen, his hair spiked upwards and a bandana wrapped around his forehead. He was wearing a brightly coloured shirt and torn cargo pants, and Sasuke could see braces glittering on his teeth as he chattered away. A pair of large headphones was resting around his neck and there was a pair of sunglasses peeking out of his back pocket.

'_This kid is from Naruto's agency? He doesn't look very capable...and they said he was following Naruto's record?_' he thought with an automatic sneer. This little brat could never measure up to Naruto, there was just no way.

Konohamaru paused in his enthusiastic greeting, finally noticing the broody looking raven in the corner sneering at him. His lips turned up and he leant over to Naruto.

"Hey, who's the gay guy in the emo corner?" he asked in a carrying whisper and Sasuke's eyes gleamed with killer intent.

Naruto chuckled a little nervously. "That's my partner, Konohamaru. He's one of the top agents, and was specially chosen by the Chief to be on the head of this mission," he explained, ignoring the gay comment entirely. That was still a bit of an unsteady issue right now.

"What? Grandpa chose that dude?" Konohamaru yelled indignantly, pointing his thumb at Sasuke. "Geez, the old man must be going senile! You'd be enough for this mission alone!" he continued, patting Naruto's arm affectionately. Sasuke growled in his throat while Naruto smiled benignly.

"That's very nice of you, but it's not true. Sasuke's saved my ass plenty of times already, and...Well, I'd have to say he's the best partner I've ever been with. Besides you, of course," he added and Konohamaru beamed.

"Hn. Would you care to introduce me to your little piglet, idiot?" Sasuke asked, stepping out of the corner and glaring down at Konohamaru.

"What'd you call me?"

"Sasuke, be nice!" Naruto frowned, stepping between them. "Konohamaru is the Chief's grandson, and he's the third best agent in my agency aside from me and my teacher. Also," Naruto sent a fond smile down at the shorter boy, "He's my student."

Sasuke's arms fell to his sides, his eyes widening. '_This little brat is Naruto's student?_' he thought in shock. He knew that high ranking agents could choose to take on apprentices that recently joined and train them in their own way. It was essentially what Kakashi had done with him, even if it all had been arranged by his parents. If he wished he could have chosen a fresh agent to train as his student, but he'd never been drawn to it. To be a successful teacher, you had to be patient and spend a lot of time with your student. You had to take them on missions and protect them while they learned how to do things. It was something that slowed you down tremendously, which was another reason why Sasuke hadn't done it.

But Naruto...

'_He's a top ranking agent, and he's got a student! He's more incredible than I'd thought,_' Sasuke mused. He was admittedly impressed with Naruto even more now.

Naruto was smiling back at him, seeing the look of admiration in Sasuke's eyes and he felt his ego swell. He'd managed to impress his partner. That was an achievement.

"...So like, do you want a room or something 'cause your googly eyes are starting to make me uncomfortable," Konohamaru drawled, lifting a hand to wave it between their faces. Both men jerked back, wondering when they'd gotten so close and looked away from each other. Sasuke glared at the kid while Naruto just stared at a wall awkwardly.

Kiba sat at his chair, forgotten and ignored. "Uh...agents?" he called and three heads turned to him. He waved. "You need to move along to the wardrobe and get everything ready there. Then you can head over to Shikamaru and Chouji to get your gadgets. I'll be waiting for you by the entrance when it's time to leave, okay?"

They nodded and turned to leave.

"Oh and Sasuke?"

Sasuke stopped, watching as Kiba flipped through the folder quickly. Naruto sent them both a curious look as he stepped out but Konohamaru was soon yapping in his ear, telling him how many times he'd accidentally walked into a broom closet while trying to find Kiba's office.

"Agent Hatake told me to give you this note," Kiba said, pulling out a small piece of folded paper and handing it to Sasuke. The raven unfolded it and read the words, his shoulders tensing immediately and his face losing all expression.

_Itachi resurfaced at the beginning of this year. All news reports on his appearance were suppressed or destroyed before they had any chance to air. The CEO of the news company said that he spoke to Itachi in person two months ago. He was asking for the news related to you and your family's murder. Sasuke, he's been looking for you and now he's confirmed you're alive at the club. Be very careful. It is highly likely that he will be at the location of your next mission. Remember: No matter what face they wear, an enemy must not be trusted and, if necessary, eliminated immediately._

_..._

_Good luck._

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The sun shone down upon the ground covered in a soft white blanket of snow, making it almost blindingly white and glittering. Trees were scattered along the down-sloped mountains, their branches and thin evergreen leaves sprinkled with a white topping of ice and snowflakes.<p>

A bird twittered in a tree, nestling further into its nest. Its head perked up, eyes staring out as a noise sounded in the distance. It huddled further into its nest when the odd hissing sound grew louder.

Suddenly a tremendous wind sent snow and ice spiralling through the air and the branches of the trees shook violently with the gale. The bird let out an indignant squawk and flew from its nest, trying to get away from the large white and shiny monster lowering towards the ground.

A door opened, the whirr of mechanics outdone by the hissing scream of the jet engine, and five figures could be seen standing near the edge.

"Alright! I'll be waiting at the airfield with a truck! When you need pick-up, send me a transmission and I'll be there in ten minutes! Be careful and watch each other's backs!" Kiba roared over the howl of the engine, snowflakes getting caught in the fur lining his gray hooded-jacket.

The four, bulky jacketed men nodded before moving to their designated transports.

Sasuke climbed onto the snow mobile, wrapping his gloved fingers around the handles. He couldn't help but smirk when Naruto climbed on behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist. Next to them Asuma sat on the second one and Konohamaru whined a bit before bowing his head under Naruto's scolding and climbing on behind his uncle, wrapping his arms around his waist.

"I still think I should drive," he grumbled but a narrow-eyed glare from Naruto made him shut up. Asuma just rolled his eyes, and Sasuke smirked before turning to the opening, seeing the ground was now close enough.

"Alright, let's go," he said and revved.

They shot from the jet which immediately ascended again and the four of them headed North East where the lab was located. It would take them about twenty minutes to get there, leaving them enough time to go over the plans.

"So we all know the plan?" Sasuke asked into his communicator as the icy winds whipped past their faces. Thank God they'd put goggles on to protect their eyes. This kind of cold would've made his own eyes water without the protection.

"_We reach the base and then Konohamaru and I will sneak in through the pipelines while you and Naruto go in from the higher levels. Both teams will move through the building, setting up detonators that will only go off at Kiba's command, so we can get away. We will meet up in the middle lab, and then search for the main heads, should there be any,_" Asuma recited casually, his deep voice slinking into their ears through the small speaker-plugs they all wore. Naruto felt his eyes drooping. Asuma had a perfect 'bedtime story' voice. He felt like he could fall asleep at this rate just listening to the man recite their mission plan!

"Hn. That's right. If we are—"

"_That's such a boring plan!_" Konohamaru cut him off with a whine, leaning back in his seat without letting go of his uncle. "_We should just blast our way in, get all the attention to the front and then while the enemy is shooting crazily, we all sneak towards the now empty labs and set them on fire or something._"

Sasuke scowled darkly, turning his head slightly to look at Naruto. "This is your student's brilliant plan?" he said slowly and Naruto scowled in return.

"Hey, it's an okay plan for a different mission!" he said before turning to look at the boy. "But Konohamaru, that won't work. There aren't just going to be a bunch of henchmen at this place. The Chief is sure that the organization would've put high level security on the labs."

Konohamaru sighed dramatically. "_Alright, if you say so!_" he conceded. "_But I don't see why you listen to that chicken-butt douche bag,_" he mumbled.

Sasuke held back a snarl. The kid was starting to get on his nerves and he was tempted to just leave him behind. It's what he would've done if he were the only one there with him. It wasn't cruel-they weren't in danger yet- and he could tell that Konohamaru and he would never be able to cooperate.

"Hey," Naruto said, putting a hand over the microphone in his jacket and leaning against Sasuke to talk directly into his ear. "I know Konohamaru can seem like a little brat a lot of the time, but he's a good kid. He may not look it, but he's a really good agent, and he'll always pull through when you need him to! Just give him a chance, okay?" he pleaded, wanting Sasuke to accept his student. While he never doubted Konohamaru, he felt that by gaining Sasuke's approval, the boy would reach an even higher level in the business. After all, getting the approval of a top agent like Sasuke was like getting an acting recommendation from a celebrity: it was the gold ticket to being noticed by the heads and given the best missions.

Sasuke listened to Naruto's plea, feeling the hot breath of the other man washing over his ear. He stared ahead, calmly avoiding a tree that was springing out of the snow as he thought about it. He really didn't like Konohamaru, but Naruto seemed to place a lot of faith in him. And Naruto did seem to have a good judgement. He'd put up with Sasuke after all.

'_Do it! Get the kid's approval, and Naruto will be putty in your hands! Think of all the ways you could use it to your advantage!_' Mochi said sneakily, and Sasuke could picture a miniature Orochimaru wearing his clothes nudging the side of his head with a small elbow, grinning lecherously. He frowned to himself.

'_Why should I get the kid's approval? We've already decided that we might have something together. I don't need to take advantage of anything.'_

'_Don't be an imbecile Sasuke, it doesn't suit us!_' Mochi snapped and Sasuke wondered if he had some deep rooted issues for getting scolded by his own mental manifestation of a paedophilic cross-dressing psycho. '_Naruto has agreed that there might be something more but neither of you have bothered to act on it! Simply accepting the potential doesn't suddenly mean you're a happy couple! You need to start making moves! MOVES I tell you! And if you don't accept Konohamaru, Naruto's not going to be very pleased and he's probably not going to be very receptive! And you need him to be receptive if you want a repeat of that fateful night!_' Mochi grinned, doing a few pelvic thrusts and waggling his perfectly plucked eyebrows.

It was a disturbing image indeed.

Sasuke pondered that thought, realizing that yes, if he wanted to have anything with Naruto, they were going to have to get passed this awkward acceptance stage they were at. And perhaps this was the way to get it going?

"Hn. Alright, I'll hold my tongue for a bit and see what the brat can do," Sasuke murmured back just loud enough to Naruto could hear him. In response he felt the blond press closer, squeezing him in a would be hug.

"Thanks bastard!" he said cheerfully and Sasuke rolled his eyes as they reached a steep slope.

"Hn. Hang on."

They hurtled down the slope, swerving to avoid clumps of ice that could upturn them and reached the bottom in record time.

"The base should be up ahead!" Asuma declared as they reached a more forested area. They swerved and zigzagged through the trees, ducking beneath a few branches and avoiding small rocks.

"Ha ha, this is like some kind of game," Konohamaru mocked.

Before he knew what was happening, a branch was smacking him in the face since Asuma ducked and he hadn't been paying attention. His loud screech of pain went ignored for the most part.

Sasuke actually took the time to send a smug look over his shoulder at the blond.

"Hn. He's definitely your student," he teased.

"Shut up," Naruto grumbled, looking ahead. "There!" he yelled and Sasuke hit the brakes.

They came to a slippery halt, as did the others, and peered through the trees at the large and intimidating structure before them. Metal walls, jagged edges and plenty of armed guards standing about. It was definitely the right place.

"Tall, dark and radiating mad-scientist aura," Konohamaru said as he climbed off the snow mobile. He grinned, turning to Naruto. "I think we found it!" he joked.

Naruto chuckled, reaching a hand under the boy's hood to ruffle his hair. "Alright, let's head in. Once we find the pipelines, we'll move to the roof."

They nodded and started to creep towards the base, hands hovering over the gun holster's they each boasted at their waists.

Sasuke felt the sting of the cold even with all the warm clothing, and he repressed a shiver. He'd never boded well with cold weather. Luckily there wasn't much wind, just a light breeze now and then and no new snow was falling.

Like shadows they moved towards the base, staying out of sight of the guards by creeping behind the sparse shrubbery and large walls of snow and ice.

"Over there," Asuma murmured gruffly, nodding his head towards what looked like a big vent, almost hidden by the snow. It was an entrance to the sewer lines. It was their way in.

Konohamaru scrunched his nose unhappily at the thought of going down there, but he knew it was necessary.

The four of them worked together to lift the heavy grate and Asuma was already lowering himself in when Naruto placed a hand on Konohamaru's shoulder.

"Remember my teachings, Konohamaru," he said sternly and the younger male nodded frantically.

"Keep your guard up, keep your senses sharp, and keep your teammates and yourself alive at all times!" he recited before holding up his fist. "I'd never forget!"

Naruto smirked widely and bumped his own fists harshly against the boy's. His eyes were glimmering with pride. "That's my little shit! Now get to work!"

Konohamaru gave him a cheeky grin and a salute before he lowered himself down. Halfway in, he paused and looked up at Sasuke.

"Hey, Duck-butt!" he called, garnering the irritated raven's attention. He put on a serious, stern expression. "You'd better look after my big brother, or else I'll hold a vendetta against you!" he promised coldly, and then slipped into the hole, leaving the two men in the white snow.

"Hn. Little shit indeed," Sasuke grumbled and Naruto chuckled as he carefully slid the grate back into place. Dusting off his hands, the blond gave a light shrug to show that he agreed with Sasuke to a point, and then the two of them were making their way towards the building.

"So, we going to grapple our way to the top?" Naruto asked, reaching for the grappling gun Shikamaru had given him. Like with most of their missions, they had a set of equipment in a specially designed bag attached to their outfits. Due to the heavy nature of their outer jackets, their things were stored at their lower back.

Sasuke snorted. "No, I thought we could just stretch our fairy wings and flutter up to the rooftop. Maybe we can stop and have some tea while we're at it!" he mocked, getting his pistol out. Naruto mimicked him childishly, rolling his blue eyes as he took aim. They had to move fast while no guards were patrolling this area.

He fired, watching as the small yet incredibly powerful hook shot through the air and vanished into the sky. The wire hissed as it moved, sounding like a cross between an angry snake and the spray of the sea. Naruto waited for the tell-tale clink of the wire to stop, and then gave a strong tug. The wire jolted and remained firm.

He'd got a direct hit.

"Alright, Sharingan," he called, holding out his hand to Sasuke. "Let's do this!"

Sasuke smirked, reaching out and clasping hands with Naruto. Their grip was tight and unyielding and he stood right next to the man.

"Before we go in," Sasuke began, turning to face Naruto head on. Once he had the man's attention, he leant down and pressed their lips together. Naruto froze in surprise for a second before loosening up, gently returning the pressure. They pulled part, cold-tipped noses bumping together briefly as they looked at each other.

"What was that for?" Naruto asked softly and Sasuke smiled.

"A good luck charm," he replied.

The laugh that bubbled from Naruto's throat was contagious. "That was so cheesy, I could eat Nacho's with it!" he said and Sasuke shook his head.

"Hn. Moron," he muttered before Naruto pressed the retract button on the gun.

There was a chink before he was lifted off the ground as the gun zoomed upwards. He tightened his hold on Sasuke, lifting the raven up with him. Sasuke swayed slightly as they ascended, and he raised his free arm, closing one eye.

They passed the first level and Sasuke quickly shot the guard that was about to yell out at seeing them. He fell to the floor of the surrounding balcony, the shot that killed him having been silenced and unheard anywhere else. This process was repeated as they went further and further up, and they reached the unsteady and jagged rooftops without any of the guards escaping to alert those inside.

They wasted no time, crouching and rushing across the uneven terrace of the roof, avoiding the drops and dips of strangely carved design. It was almost as if this entire building had been built with scrap metal, thrown together with urgency and little care for actual stability.

They reached the vents, large enough for them to slide down. Sasuke was going to go in first, attached to a cable so Naruto could lower him down to see if the landing point would be safe.

Sasuke moved to the entrance of the vent, feeling Naruto clip the cable hook into place on his back.

"Alright, you're set. Be careful," Naruto murmured.

Sasuke smirked as he observed the blond over his shoulder. "Hn. Who do you think I am? I'm Agent Sharingan, bitch," he joked and dived into the vent before Naruto could do more than gape.

"Heh, asshole."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Asuma stealthily stepped into the lower hallways. He and Konohamaru had just gotten through the pipelines, and he estimated that Sasuke would be entering from the rooftops by now. Motioning for silence, he led the younger agent down the hallway, one hand hovering over his gun in case anything happened.<p>

Konohamaru stayed close to his uncle, but mentally he wanted nothing more than to go off on his own. He thought that they would be able to cover so much more ground if they split up! He knew that they stayed in teams because they wanted to have someone watching their backs at all time, but he knew his uncle was capable enough on his own, and he was confident he would be just fine!

'_Ugh, we're going to waste so much time if we keep going at such a snail's pace!_' he thought in frustration as they stopped at another corner. Glancing around, he saw another hall that branched out. Frowning in thought, he sent a sneaky glance at his uncle, who was peering intently around the corner, obviously watching some guards walk by.

'_Well...Big brother always did say improvisation could be key to success!_' Konohamaru thought, and he started to sneak away down the other hall, his steps muffled and his arms pulled to his chest in a classic 'sneaky' pose as he tip-toed away from his uncle. '_Man, if Grandpa were here, he'd skin me alive!_' he thought again, feeling the thrill that came along with breaking the rules. He'd always been a prankster, and going against orders was something he'd naturally done. It didn't help that Naruto hadn't exactly been too strict on keeping to rules. The blond had broken his fair share, and all of those times, he'd been successful!

Konohamaru was going to make his teacher proud!

"Alright, it's clear. There's a lab right there, so we'll go to it!" Asuma mumbled and took off down the hall, quickly ducking into the lab. He sighed, glad that they had made it without a hitch. He was almost afraid that Konohamaru was going to trip or something silly. He knew how clumsy the boy could be.

'_He's actually being very quiet! I'm impressed,_' Asuma thought, and he turned to congratulate his nephew for exceptional skills in silence. His heart screeched to a halt and he stared wide eyed at the space his nephew _wasn't_.

"...Agent Kid?" he asked, almost hoping that Konohamaru was just lagging behind for some reason. But his mind already knew the truth.

'_THAT LITTLE BRAT!_' he screamed in his mind, and he clenched his fists, wanting to hit something. Of course, why had he expected any different? Konohamaru was just full of trouble!

"Dammit brat!" he growled.

A door flew open and he instinctively ducked behind a separation wall. Hardly daring to breathe, he tilted his head to see who had come in.

A man with slicked back silver hair was walking into the room, leading a group of white-coated doctors.

"Alright, give me the bloody report," the man snapped, digging his hands into his trouser pockets. He looked entirely out of place in this freezing lab with his shirt sleeves rolled up and the first four buttons undone. The doctors huddled close together, looking quite nervous.

"W-well, Mr. Hidan, we ran the tests that you a-asked," the first said nervously. The man, Hidan, raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"And?"

"...T-they came back negative. You're blood type will not sustain the virus for longer than an h-hour," the doctor said and his colleagues moved closer together, as if scared of branching out and getting picked off one by one.

The silver haired man stared at them blankly. "You're fucking with me," he stated but it was easy to see he was angry.

The poor doctor trembled, but nodded nonetheless. "I-I'm s-sorry sir," he stammered out.

Asuma narrowed his eyes as Hidan approached the man. Suddenly he grinned and clapped a hand on the doctor's shoulder.

"Oh well! You did your best! I guess there's nothing to be done! Shit happens, right?" Hidan said cheerfully, and the doctors visibly relaxed.

"Yes, it does," the man replied, chuckling slightly.

"Yes, it does...and all because you fuckers can't do shit," Hidan continued.

Asuma watched in horror as Hidan suddenly pulled the doctor forward. A blade that had been hidden somewhere-Asuma wasn't even sure where- was shoved through the man's stomach. The doctor's eyes widened, blood starting to pour from his mouth as he gargled nonsense. Then he fell to the floor as Hidan stepped aside, yanking the wicked looking red blade with him.

The other doctors were backing away in fear, their faces pale and horrified.

Hidan lunged, slicing his blade through the air. The doctors scattered, screaming. Hidan caught the first, another man, and swiped the blade across his throat. Blood leaked out as he collapsed to the floor in a heap. The next was also caught in seconds, his eyes bulging as he was stabbed repeatedly in the stomach before he was dropped.

The last doctor, a woman, was screaming as she made a mad dash for the door.

Hidan beat her too it, grabbing her by her hair and yanking her back. She shrieked, her glasses falling off while she kept hitting at his arm and trying to get out of his hold. But Hidan didn't waver, keeping his grip up.

"NO! NO PLEASE! NO!" she wailed as he dragged her back to the centre of the room, right by where the first doctor lay. "NOOOO!"

"Shut the fuck up," Hidan snapped, one hand covering his ear. "Bloody fuck, you people are like yapping little rat-dogs!" he continued. The woman continued to sob as he reached down, placing his blade back into the holder that was now visible at his lower back. His hand then trailed down to his pants. "Relax, bitch, I'm not going to kill you...yet," he said evily, and the sound of a zipper being pulled down made the woman's breath hitch and her tearful eyes bulge.

Asuma had had enough.

Without hesitation he stepped around the corner and fired. The bullet slammed into the man's chest, knocking him backwards and onto his back. The only sound made was a grunt and then the sobs of the woman as she crawled away from his body. She looked up with tearful eyes at Asuma, unsure of whether she was safe or just in more danger.

Asuma glanced down at her briefly, wonder what to do. Finally, he made a choice.

"Get out of here and don't tell anyone you saw me, or else," he said threateningly.

The doctor scrambled to her feet, backing away from him slowly. He just stood and waited for her to leave.

Suddenly, just as she was taking another step backwards, something burst through her chest. Her eyes gaped as blood ran down her chin before she slumped forwards, only being held up by the blade sticking through her.

"Not so fast, motherfucker," a voice rasped snidely.

Asuma watched in horror as Hidan emerged from behind the woman, a bloody grin on his face.

"How?" Asuma breathed. "I hit your heart!"

Hidan coughed and chuckled. "I'm immortal, you dipshit," he sneered. "And I'm going to make you pay for that shot. Don't you know it's rude to interrupt a man about to fuck?" he asked as he pulled out his red blade.

Asuma growled, pulling out his gun. "You mean a lowly rapist," he snapped and Hidan grinned.

"Whatever. I don't give a shit," he brushed off, and took a step forward. "Prepare to die."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>Dun dun DUUUUUN!<strong>

**What's going to happen next? What of Konohamaru, Asuma and our favourite boys?**

**That...will mostly be revealed in the next chapter. :3**

**I can't think of much to say, (and I really have to start doing some work on my courses DX ) so I'll be ending up here with my usual.**

**Reviews would be loved and given a good home, and I am going to try very hard to work on the next bunch of chapters so as not to fall too behind! ^.^ Wish me luck, ne~!**


	16. This Is Madness

**Kaoru: Hey...hey Kam...Kammy...Kam-chan...Kam-kam-kamikaze-**

**Kamari: WHAT_?_!**

**Kaoru: :D Guess how many words are in this chapter...**

**Kamari: *sigh* ..How many words are in this chapter?**

**Kaoru: OVER 9,000! *dramatic music***

**Kamari: You're oddity levels are over 9,000. -_-**

**Hello everyone! Yes, I bring you another looong chapter! And that is for two reasons! One, I just couldn't end it anywhere but where I did in this chapter! And two... *mumbles* I'm-gonnebe-changingupdates-toeveryFriday-instead...**

**Well, er, I've got to get to work on the next chapters since I still don't have much of a headstart anymore! BYE! *runs away while readers are still busy deciphering the mumbling***

**Warnings: Some violence and blood, insanity and cracky humour in this one. Language.**

**Disclaimer: We've been over this before! You forgetful website!**

**Note: **To Nisha1994, yes I did indeed get your review and thank you very much for it! ^_^ And to everyone else who continues to review, like xCastielsGirlx, Fullmetal Gary, Alli Ate Sora-Sorry Roxas, Lunarious1000, jkmrsy, Aymichan, Adrian Nite, Nanami of Falling Snow, Bishie Huntress, sabakunogaara4ever, krazylittlekat, KaoticLoveStory, Jen567, Rowenna J Anderson, fullmoonwolf950, Diamante Uchiha, Nejihott...Hell, those are just the first few names off the tip of my tongue..Good God, there's so many of you who I want to mention individually, but that would probably take up an entire chapter page! XD Just know, everyone, that I get your reviews, and I read them all, and even if I don't manage to reply to them, I love them and thank you so much for taking the time to leave them for my little eyes to read! You are ALL awesome, and I love each and every one of you! *sends out love and hugs and cookies* Seriously, you guys ALL rock!**  
><strong>

**~ADB~  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Konohamaru grinned as he snuck through a door successfully and took in the surroundings. His grin fell when he identified where he was.<p>

Another broom closet.

'_Man, what is it with me and broom closets!_' he thought angrily, storming out. It was now the third time he'd ended up walking into one! Why couldn't the bad guys be considerate and label their doors?

Huffing, he started to creep down the hallway. He was surprised that his uncle hadn't already radioed him and asked him where he was, but then again, perhaps he had enough faith in him! He was turning a corner when movement caught his eyes, and his reaction was instinctual.

He ducked back around the corner, pressing himself against it and peering around the corner carefully.

Two white-cloaked figures were striding down the hallway. They definitely were not agents, but they didn't seem to be doctors. Their cloaks had high collars, and each one had a white ski-mask on. Everything was probably covered. He could even see white gloves and white shoes when the long backs of the cloaks swished upwards.

'_Who are those guys? Are they from the organization? Or are they a new enemy altogether?_' Konohamaru wondered, and with quiet steps and followed after them.

They were walking steadily, obviously aware of where they were going. All he could tell about them was that they both appeared to be male and were about the same height, but that wasn't enough to go on.

They turned a corner and Konohamaru hurried to catch up. However, when he reached the turning, they were gone. He blinked rapidly, wondering where they went when a door caught his eye. It was labelled 'Storage Labs'. Smirking, he slid through the doorway and peered through the shelves.

It looked as if this room held various ingredients and data files. There was no sight of the white figures, but Konohamaru decided he could resume searching for them later. For now he would see what was in here and torch it. Since everything was made from metal, if he closed the door there was little chance of the fire spreading, at least not until he was far away and they were halfway through the mission.

Grinning, he started to scour the shelves.

'_Ha! I'll bet that Duck-butt hasn't even accomplished one thing!_'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke sneezed and looked up with narrowed eyes. He felt that strange sensation of being insulted once again, but had no idea why.<p>

Naruto paused behind him. "What's wrong?" he whispered. Sasuke shook his head, dismissing the odd even and continuing through the empty lab. They'd managed to cause a distraction on the hallway, drawing out the scientists and doctors inside this lab long enough for them to set up detonators in secretive areas. They had already managed to cover two large labs already, and their progress was looking good.

"I wonder how far Asuma and Konohamaru are," Naruto murmured. Sasuke just grunted softly, confident that Asuma had already led them to the lab and was starting their mission. As for Konohamaru...

'_Approve of him...approooooove of him!_' Mochi reminded, waving his little imaginary arms and making ghostly noises. Sasuke imaged a giant boot stepping on the little bugger and smirked at the vivid imagery he received.

They left the lab and hurried down the hallway to the stairs. Just as they approached, footsteps could be heard coming up. Both men jumped back, looking around for a hiding spot. Sasuke noticed a shadowed crevice, and what looked to be a cart used for transporting supplies. He grabbed Naruto's arm and yanked him into the crevice before pushing himself in too and pulling the cart over the entrance. They could see through the metal bars, but hopefully the shadows and semi-barricade would be enough to hide them from the view of whoever was walking up the stairs.

As the steps grew louder, voices joined in.

"—to start the new testing immediately. We've run out—"

"—new subject has been rejecting the virus—"

"—don't trust you as much as he does."

The voices became clear as the two men reached the top of the stairs and Sasuke felt his entire body run cold at the sight of Itachi standing there. There was another man in front of him, his back to where they were hiding. From what he could see of the man, he was wearing a bandanna over brown hair and a simple suit.

"The leader might put trust in you, but I've worked with weasels before," the man was saying and Sasuke saw how Itachi's eyes remained empty and blank even now. It was as if he was a robot. His arms were beginning to tremble. He still couldn't believe it. His brother, who used to tie his shoelaces and chase him around the house to get him to bed, was now a cold-hearted villain out to kill him? It just didn't make sense. He wanted answers; how did Itachi survive, where had he been, why had he changed and what the _fuck_ was going through his head!

"Hn. You overestimate me, Kakuzu. I'm merely following orders like a good little soldier," Itachi said blandly, no emotion on his face whatsoever.

Sasuke flinched at the very tone, and suddenly Itachi's eyes roamed over towards them. Both men held their breath, frozen solid so as not to be seen. There was no indication in Itachi's eyes that he had seen anything, or could see anything, but his unwavering gaze was making them sweat with anxiety.

Kakuzu tilted his head. "Is something wrong, Uchiha?" he asked, making to turn around. Before he could, Itachi was already walking away, his hands in his pockets.

"Nothing. Now, as you were saying about testing the re-adjusted virus?"

"Yes, our leader wants to start the tests now. No more delays. We need to get this virus finished, and then we can take out that interfering agency," Kakuzu said. Their voices were fading away as they left down the hall.

"And what room is the test subject being held in, again?" Itachi was asking.

"Holding room eight-eighteen; located on the second floor."

"Hn, I see—"

They faded out of sight and hearing distance, but still neither agent dared move a muscle.

Finally, after they were certain there was no one else, they both relaxed their tense muscles, melting into each other due to the cramped space. Neither of them paid it any mind though.

"That was a close call," Naruto sighed, running a hand through his hair. Sasuke nodded, swallowing thickly and chasing the bile back down his throat. The thought of having to fight his brother made him feel like a rookie agent again, scared and unsure of the outcome. "We need to get moving," Naruto continued, running a hand over Sasuke's arm comfortingly. He could only imagine what Sasuke was feeling at this moment. He could see the fear and confusion and, God forbid, _helplessness_ in Sasuke's eyes and it tugged at his heartstrings.

They slipped out of their hiding place and slowly stared down the stairs.

"Sharingan, we should go to that holding room. If they've got a victim to test the virus on, we need to save them," Naruto said, leading the way. Sasuke nodded, trying so hard to focus on their mission and not on the man he'd just seen again. He wanted to run back up the stairs and put a bullet in the back of Itachi's head as much as he wanted to grab the man and try and shake some sense into him.

"Sharingan."

Perhaps he could get a one on one with Itachi, and actually talk to him. He was good at dodging bullets as long as he didn't freeze up.

"Sharingaaan?"

Maybe he'd try using the Thousand Years of Pain technique that Kakashi had taught him when he was younger. He doubted anyone could remain calm after experiencing that kind of pain. Surely Itachi would start yelling at him and perhaps then he could get some answers!

Naruto sighed, seeing that Sasuke was totally lost in some random thought, undoubtedly over his brother. Pulling his left glove off, and held it at the tip of the wrist and promptly slapped it harshly against Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke was snapped out of his thoughts by a stinging sensation to his cheek and in his mind he could see Mochi get thrown to the floor from the force. The little figure was cursing wildly, and it took some effort for him not to repeat some of the choice words as he turned to his blond partner.

"..._Excuse_ me?" he snapped indignantly as Naruto slid his glove back on.

"You were more out of this world than a lost satellite. Fo-cus," he punctuated each syllable with a poke to Sasuke's reddened cheek. "Now come on, if my sense of direction is right, that holding room will be this way," he said, moving to the left. Sasuke grabbed his wrist, shaking his head.

"Oh-ho no!" he protested, "What makes you think I'm going to trust your sense of direction? You almost got us lost in the vents during our factory mission!"

"Note the word '_almost'_ in that sentence," Naruto argued, yanking his hand out of Sasuke's grip and crossing his arms. "And as I recall, we followed _your_ sense of direction and it led us to a front row seat to see some lady get the ramming-rooster special!" he reminded, smirking at the flush that lay across Sasuke's cheeks at that little reminder.

Sasuke had to concede in agreement though, he had been the one that led them the wrong way the last time. Sighing and motioning for Naruto to lead the way, he tried not to trip the other man up when he started to skip like a retard in victory.

They made good time getting through the halls, avoiding wandering doctors and guards alike.

They approached a room labelled Eight-eighteen and stood on either side of it. Sasuke bent down to pick the lock, Naruto keeping a close watch for anyone coming. There was a soft click and Sasuke stood, turning the door handle and walking in.

...To be greeted with a green llama.

Sasuke froze in the doorway, staring at the creature standing in the middle of the room, chewing slowly on a piece of wheat. Its woolly coat was a light, dusty green colour and its large teeth were visible as it seemed to smile lazily at him.

In a split second Sasuke stepped back and closed the door, his eyes wide as he stared blankly ahead.

'_...No way, I was imagining it,_' he thought. '_...I was, right Mochi?_'

In his mind, he could picture the miniature Sasuke-dressed Orochimaru wearing an equally bemused expression before nodding slowly. '_Yeah, you must have been._'

Sasuke nodded, trying to ignore the fact he was seeking comfort from the little voice in his head and resolutely opened the door again.

The llama was still there.

Sasuke closed the door.

Then he opened it again.

Llama.

Closed door.

Open door.

Llama.

Closed door.

Open door.

Lllama...still.

Sasuke pulled the door closed yet again, his eyes wider than they'd ever been as he stared at the metallic barrier. He had officially lost his mind. He was seeing a green llama! Who the hell sees green llamas upon going crazy?

"_Ahem_."

Sasuke jumped and looked sideways. He'd forgotten all about Naruto in light of his newfound llama-hallucinations, and the blond was currently tapping his foot and giving him a very unimpressed look.

"Care to explain your actions, agent?" Naruto asked, motioning to the door. "You seem unable to decide whether that door should remain open or not."

Sasuke looked at him. "I'm seeing things," he said sincerely. Naruto blinked.

"What kinds of things?" he asked, sounding a little concerned.

Sasuke swallowed. "...I think I'm seeing a green llama," he said honestly. He hoped that Naruto would not run away screaming. That would be most inconvenient for the both of them and their budding relationship.

Naruto stared at him. "...Kindly repeat that?"

"A green llama is in this room," Sasuke repeated, pointing at the door. "But that's not normal, so I must be seeing things," he concluded.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, wondering if this was some kind of joke. Pushing Sasuke aside, he opened the door.

The llama spat on his face.

Naruto stood in the doorway, his eyes scrunched closed and his mouth squeezed shut as the gooey llama saliva dribbled down his cheeks.

Sasuke stepped up beside him, frowning nervously and reaching up to wipe away the gunk with his glove. Once Naruto's face was relatively spit-free, he cracked open his eyes and stared at the animal chewing wheat in the room.

"...That's something you don't see every day," he breathed. Sasuke nodded.

"So I'm not going crazy!" he said, walking into the room but keeping his distance from the animal. "...Who the hell keeps a llama in here?" he hissed, flinching when the creature swivelled its head towards him.

Naruto edged around the creature, and he could feel it watching him. "Why is it green? Do you think it's contaminated?"

"I don't know," Sasuke replied, also edging around the green creature. "But whatever's wrong with it, it doesn't change the fact that there is a green llama in this room," he stated philosophically.

Naruto nodded. "Indeed there is."

"Who are you?"

Both men spun around, seeing an area in the back of the room that resembled that of an operating theatres inside. A large, muscular black man was strapped to a metal table, nothing but a pair of white shorts covering him. There were various tools laying on carts around him, the most common found being needles and injections.

"We are here to help," Naruto said, advancing upon the man. "You can call me Naruto," he said, ignoring the frustrated look Sasuke sent him for using his real name. "What is your name?"

"They call me Killer-Bee," the man said.

Naruto tilted his head to the side. "Uh...is..is that your real name?"

"No, but it's the name that everyone will be chanting at a concert someday!" the man said, trying to pump his fist but not quite succeeding. Naruto sent a glance to Sasuke, amused, but he paused when he saw the llama walking up behind the raven. "Uh, behind you," he pointed.

Sasuke was about to turn around, but before he could the llama began to lip his head, slobbering on his hair. Sasuke stood perfectly still, his eyes wide as he felt the abnormal creature gnawing at his hair.

Naruto didn't know whether to laugh or help.

"Why is there a llama eating my hair?" Sasuke asked suddenly, looking lost. "We're supposed to fight enemies, escape from explosions, and shoot shit up! Not...not get _nommed_ on by mutant green _llamas_!" he held his hands up in a gesture of aggravation.

The llama rested its head on his hand, nuzzling against the palm. Sasuke growled, pulling his hand back.

"No! Bad llama!"

Naruto snorted into his hand. "Say, Killer-Bee, why exactly is there a green llama here?" he asked as he began to untie the man. Killer-Bee sighed.

"It belongs to the crazy doctor that was doing crazy tests on me! That guy looks like some kind of mutated vegetable, and he's got this crazy green hair and wears half a black mask on his face. Crazy man!" he said, waggling his fingers as he said crazy.

Naruto nodded, checking him for injuries. He began to ask the basic questions. Behind him, Sasuke was stepping sideways to get away from the llama which seemed to have taken a liking to him. It bumped its nose against his shoulder and when he tried to shoo it away it just made a weird noise and came closer.

"No! Shoo! Shoo!" he snapped, waving his hand in a shooing motion.

The llama bit his sleeve and began to tug, almost throwing him off balance. He tugged back, but the beast just continued to tug, making another weird noise. Sasuke was sure this llama was defective. That's why it was green!

Naruto remained oblivious to-or he was simply ignoring- the trouble Sasuke was having.

"Killer-Bee, have they injected something into you?" he asked. The man sighed heavily, showing just how exhausted he truly was after being held captive.

"Yes, several times. And they kept drawing blood from me like a bunch of evil leeches from the underworld!" he replied, rubbing at his arm. "They kept saying something like 'almost perfected' and 'start the administrations to troops' or something before he left a few minutes ago to talk to someone or something." He looked over at Naruto and then at Sasuke, a hint of distrust. "How do I know I can trust you people? How do I know you're not with some crazy group intent of sucking me dry of my blood, yo?"

Naruto smiled, finding the man's attitude amusing somehow. Killer-Bee seemed to be relaxed and laid back despite the danger, but his eyes were still careful and cautious. Naruto was sure that they would get along rather well.

"Mr. Bee," he said, and noticed the perking of the name, "Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm lying when I say I'm here to help you," he finished.

Killer-Bee looked straight into his blue eyes, scanning their depths for a sign of deception. Suddenly, he smiled.

"Nah, nothing there. I get good vibes from you, man, so I'll trust you! Besides, if you betray me, I'l haunt your sorry ass until the day you die!" he thrust his arms forward in a gangster motion and Naruto laughed as he helped the man walk forwards.

"Please don't, I have an irrational fear of ghosts," he said with a smile.

"Kyuubi! This bloody beast won't leave me alone!" Sasuke snapped, reaching the end of his tether as the llama bent its head to sniff at his crotch curiously. "Get away from there!" he shooed, swatting the thing on the head. It made another odd noise, almost as if it didn't know whether to bray, moo, or grunt and then it started to trot in place as if it were dancing.

Naruto eyed the thing nervously before shrugging. "Just leave it. We need to get going. Sharingan, we need to get Bee out of here and then finish up. Radio in Smoker and tell him to send Kid back outside to keep guard over Bee," he ordered, leading the way to the door. Sasuke nodded, already opening their communication lines and inputting the call code for Asuma. He felt a hot breath on his neck and ducked away from the llama trying to nibble his hair again.

"Fuck off llama!"

Naruto snickered. "That's not something I'd ever expected to hear from your mouth," he said as Bee started to chuckle at the raven's expense. Sasuke just grumbled, calling Asuma.

"Smoker? This is Sharingan, come in," he mumbled.

Static met his reply, and both agents whipped their head around.

"Smoker? Smoker, are you there?" Sasuke asked urgently. More static and their faces paled. Both men knew it was an extremely bad sign when there was static.

"Kyuubi, you take Killer-Bee out of here and radio in the brat. I have a feeling he's not near Smoker at the moment. I'm going to go find him and see what's going on," Sasuke said, sliding his gun into his hand and checking his ammunition. Naruto looked nervous but nodded.

"Be careful Sharingan," he said and Sasuke spared him a look and a small, grateful smile before he was running through the hallways and out of sight quietly.

"Is he going to be alright? There are some crazy people here! They're just not normal," Killer-Bee said with a hint of hesitance. Naruto stared in the direction that Sasuke had run before turning and leading the other man away.

"He'll be fine. He's the best," he insisted.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Konohamaru poked his tongue out of his mouth, a sign of intense concentration as he clipped a detonator under a lab table. The lab still had several doctors in it, all looking over charts and talking about statistics and chemicals and other things that were way over the young man's head. He sweated slightly as he finally managed to latch the device on the table's bottom and quickly pulled his arm back through the door before anyone could see it.<p>

Wiping his forehead and grinning at his success, he dusted his hands off and climbed to his feet.

"I'd better hurry up to the next lab. I haven't heard from any of the others, but seriously it seems like they're going really slow! I knew that stupid duck-butt was slowing my bro down!" he mumbled, turning and starting to run through the halls towards the next lab. It seemed that all the scientists and doctors were really busy on something, since they were all in the labs instead of the hallways. It only made travelling around that much easier.

"Maybe I should radio in-oof!" He was cut off in voicing his thoughts when he collided harshly with someone running the opposite way around the corner. He stumbled back, landing harshly on his tailbone. He heard a grunt of pain and the chinking of glass and metal on the floor as whoever he'd run into also fell over.

Wincing in pain, the brunet looked ahead. Sitting a few steps away from him, rubbing a white-gloved hand over their back was one of the snowy-figures he'd seen earlier. As he'd expected, there was a white mask covering their entire face but for where their eyes were. Eyelids slid open to reveal bright eyes that seemed to be blue but hinted at green too. Those eyes widened at seeing him, matching Konohamaru's wide-eyed gaze as they stared at each other. Then the person's eyes slid down to the box they'd been carrying. Konohamaru followed their gaze and started at seeing several blood-vials and what appeared to be a list of test subjects. Each of the vials had a label that stated which test subject it belonged to and a percentage next to the name.

"What—" Konohamaru began before his instincts kicked in. He rolled back, getting into a handstand and flipping to his feet to avoid the sweeping kick the person issued towards him. They jumped to their feet, snatching the box and the fallen vials before turning and beginning to sprint the opposite way. Konohamaru knew that whoever it was wasn't part of the organization, but they definitely weren't on his side either.

'_Could it be another enemy? If they get those vials, then we'll have another enemy to deal with!'_ he thought and rushed after the person with determination to stop them. '_I can't let that happen!_'

He chased after the person, who he mentally dubbed Snow simply because of the white outfit, and saw them heading towards the stairs.

"Oh no you don't!" he thought, reaching behind him and pulling out his gun. He held it tightly in his hands, relishing the feel of the metal and swung his arms up, firing a shot. The bullet slammed into the wall inches from Snow's head, making them turn around with a wide-eyed glare.

"You almost shot me you little brat!" they yelled, their voice cracking but undoubtedly a male.

"I won't miss this time!" Konohamaru promised, raising his gun again and taking aim. Snow let out a yelp and ducked to the side, running down the hall with Konohamaru right on his tail.

"Don't get in my way kid!" Snow yelled, turning down another hallway. Konohamaru growled, firing again. He watched with fascination as blood spurted from Snow's leg and the man let out a pained shout just before he tumbled through a door, shutting it behind him.

Konohamaru tried to stop, yelping when his feet failed to break and he slammed ungracefully into the door. Groaning in pain and resting a hand against his head to stop the swaying, he tried to regain his thoughts from the scrambled mess they'd just been knocked into.

Shaking off the pain, he gripped the door handle and eased it open, peering inside. It looked like a library, but instead of books the shelves were stacked with chemicals and jars filled with questionable liquids. Easing the door closed again, the agent tiptoed through the room, peering around the first shelf. Snow was nowhere to be seen yet, so he crept towards the next aisle with the silence of a cat.

It was when he reached the third aisle that he heard movement. Ducking down, he quietly edged towards the sound and moved a tub to the side to peer through the crack to the other side.

Snow was sitting in the corner, panting heavily through his mask as he clutched at his leg. The white of his pants was dyed with a bright red as his wound bled freely, and it was a pained groan that came out as he rolled the material up.

Konohamaru wondered if he should jump out now, but decided to stay put when he saw Snow reaching into his pockets for something. His eyes widened when he saw the man pull out a syringe, and he watched with baited breath as the other pulled his mask up over his mouth so he could use his teeth to pull the cover off the needle while his other hand held his pant leg up above the wound. Konohamaru could see two vertical scars on each of the man's cheeks, slightly curved due to the lid he was biting.

Snow reached down, holding the injection to an area by his thigh on his injured leg. After sucking in a shaky breath, he shoved the needle in, groaning.

Konohamaru winced, but stayed silent and still. He needed to know what the injection was.

After panting for a moment, Snow moved the needle out and clutched at his leg, groaning softly. Konohamaru's eyes almost fell out of his head when he saw the bullet hole start to bubble around the edges before the skin seemed to grow and stretch.

The wound was repairing itself right in front of his eyes!

'_Is that the virus? He injected the virus into him to heal his leg? But how did he get his hands on it? It must be a prototype, because brother destroyed the shipment of near-complete viruses! But if that's the case, does he work for the organization? Is he a spy or something?_' so many questions were rushing through his mind as he watched the wound almost completely vanish, leaving a scarred-looking indent with a deep purple bruise around it as Snow started to wipe away the blood and roll the material back down.

He picked up the box of blood samples, shifting it in his arms to grab something else. Konohamaru hid behind the shelf as the man stood up and he listened to the crackle of a radio, guessing it was a walkie-talkie or something of the like.

"It's me. I got it. The agents are already here, so go to the back entrance. I'll be out in a second," Snow was saying and Konohamaru raised his gun, mentally counting his remaining shots. He heard a click and more static before Snow was talking again. "Yes, it's me. I've got them...They're all set up. Yes...Okay, we'll meet you there." Konohamaru wondered who else he had called, but he heard shuffling to signal the end of the conversation.

He got to his feet slowly, trying not to make any noise.

Then his knee clicked; the sound was loud in the previously silent room.

"Oops," he said a second before the shelf he was hiding behind was kicked harshly, falling towards him. "WAH!" he dived forwards, smashing into another shelf to avoid the one about to crush him. He rolled onto his back in time to see a foot heading towards him. With a cry he rolled to the side over the uneven surface and his heart missed a beat when Snow's foot crashed straight through the shelf.

"What are you, superman?" he screeched, pulling his gun around. Before he could fire a shot, Snow's gloved hand shot out, grabbing him around the neck. He choked, trying to escape from the hold. He kicked straight at his enemy's solar plexus in a powerful jab that usually always worked, but it didn't do a thing. He was slammed against the wall, his vision blurring in pain when he heard something crack.

"You won't be able to hurt me for a while now," Snow was saying calmly. "I suggest you radio your friends and tell them to leave. This place is going up in flames in the next twenty minutes."

Konohamaru tried to question, but the restriction on his throat prevented any noise at all. He grit his teeth, staring through barely open eyelids at the imploring turquoise.

"Seriously kid, get your buddies and get the hell out of here before twenty minutes is up!" Snow said again, and Konohamaru was confused at the tone of urgency. It's as if the man actually cared whether he and the others died.

He heard a door slamming open, and realized that their fight must've been heard. Someone ran into the room and Konohamaru was released. He slid to his knees, coughing and gasping for air. Above his own noise he could hear a yell before a crack. He looked up, rubbing at his throat and saw the end of Snow's coat whipping around the corner. A guard lay on the ground, out cold and a crater was in the wall, suggesting his head had been rammed against it.

Struggling to gather his wits about him, Konohamaru chased after the retreating white figure. He chased him all the way to a back entrance, stepping out into the beginnings of a blizzard. He reached his hands up, trying to protect his eyes from the thickly falling snow. Several guards were lying strewn across the ground, having been taken out like insects.

Above the rush of the wind he could hear an engine roaring to life. Narrowing his eyes, he caught a glimpse of movement and saw Snow climbing onto a snow-mobile behind the second, taller figure. They seemed to talk for a few seconds before the first revved the engine and they vanished into the trees and the blizzard.

Konohamaru stood at the door, wondering what he'd just let escape and struggling to decide what to do. His choice was made for him when he heard the crackle of a radio in his ear before Naruto's voice penetrated his eardrums.

"_Agent Kid, get to the snow-mobiles. We've got a guest with us and he needs to be guarded while we finish up."_

"Wait, brother!" Konohamaru cried before the other could hang up. "I just encountered another enemy of the organization! He said that we had to get out of the lab before the next twenty minutes are up because this place is going to go up in flames!"

"_What? Are you serious?_"

"Yes! I fought them and I tried to stop them, brother, I really tried! I managed to shoot him in the leg, but he injected himself with the virus! He had the virus in a syringe and he injected it into himself. His leg healed and he used the added strength to escape!" Konohamaru moaned.

"_Mother shit-bitch, can't we ever just have a normal, smooth mission with these people?_" Naruto yelled on his end, and Konohamaru winced at the volume. "_Alright Kid, get out of there. I'll radio Sharingan and let him know to get Smoker out of there. I'll meet you at the entrance! Be careful on your way out!_"

"Roger that!" Konohamaru said, ducking around and running along the edge of the building. It would be easier for him to sneak through the blizzard unnoticed than it would be to walk through the building. Undoubtedly people had been alerted to their presence. "Watch out, I think the doctors know we're here! Security is going to be doubled," he warned.

"_Understood. See you in a minute._"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto cursed as he switched communication channels. "Sa-Sharingan? Sharingan are you there?" he asked.<p>

"_I'm here. What's wrong Kyuubi?_"

"Have you located Smoker yet?"

"_Not yet. I'm heading towards the entrance they would have used. What's wrong?_"

"I just got a transmission from Kid. There was another enemy in here, and it seems they beat us to the punch. The place is going to go up in twenty minutes, and they warned Kid that we should be gone before then," Naruto said as he led Killer-Bee down a hall. The other man had gotten over his weakness soon after leaving the holding room, and it seemed that he'd been kept under some heavy sedatives for the most part. Now that he was free, he was regaining his strength. After some questioning Naruto had learned that Bee had the same blood type as he did, and therefore he was a test subject for the new viruses. They'd been using his blood to formulate the new and improved version.

"_Fuck. Alright, I'll find Smoker and we'll evacuate. We've set enough detonators to cause damage anyway, so we'll have Kiba set them off just as a precaution. Leave the rest of your detonators somewhere they will have an effect. I'll meet you outside._"

"Roger that," Naruto replied, already slinging the last of the detonators out of his satchel. He looked around, and grinned when he saw a dial on the wall to control temperature, right near a support beam. Grabbing it, he easily tore it off the wall.

"Wow! That's some crazy strength you got there!" Killer-Bee said, waving his fingers in surprise. Naruto shrugged as he tossed the dial down the hall to the right.

A guard that had just turned the corner couldn't even blink before the dial smashed into his forehead and he fell to the floor, out cold.

Naruto didn't even notice.

He set up one of the detonators where the dial used to be, smirking when he saw that they indeed looked similar. No one would notice.

"Alright, let's keep going!" Naruto said and the two of them hurried down the hall. They managed to avoid anyone else until they reached the first floor.

"Alright, let's go—" Naruto was cut off as he turned the corner, something slamming straight into his stomach. With a choked cry he went flying backwards, skidding along the ground. He heard Killer-Bee call out to him and cracked open his eyes.

It was the two men from earlier.

The one with the bandanna lowered his leg, bloodshot eyes staring at him. Behind him stood Itachi, hands in his pockets and looking calm and collected. Naruto growled, climbing to his feet. He had been caught by surprise. And that strength...

"So you've got the virus?" he growled, staring at the dark-skinned man.

"And so do you...I take it this is the Agent that was injected in Sasori's enterprise," his eyes trailed to Itachi.

"If the reports were correct, then yes," the Uchiha said blankly. His eyes were trained on Naruto, flicking over his features. "I believe your name is Naruto, is it not?"

Naruto growled in response, one hand pressing over his stomach where he'd been hit. He ran forwards, arms out behind him as he grabbed his gun. He saw the dark man, Kakuzu if he remembered correctly, run towards him in response. Several feet away from him he jumped into the air, flipping over. When he was right above Kakuzu, upside down against the man, he closed one eye and fired a shot.

He smirked when he saw it hit, but his smirk vanished when Kakuzu swung around and delivered a powerful kick straight to his face as he was falling back down. Naruto flew backwards, colliding harshly with the ground and he dropped his gun in the process. He rolled onto his side, wincing.

'_What's going on? The virus is still activated...so how come this _hurts_?_' he wondered, pushing himself up and panting for breath. The pain died away soon enough, but the actual blows were hurting! Usually he couldn't feel anything but pressure and it was light. But these blows...it was as if the virus was nullified.

"Hn. It seems your guess was correct, Kakuzu," Itachi suddenly spoke up. Naruto's eyes widened and he whipped around, seeing the Uchiha calmly walking down the hall away from him. "The only thing that can accurately counter the virus in a fight, is the virus itself. Injecting yourself was quite ingenious. As it is, I have some urgent business to attend to elsewhere. I'll be leaving now."

"Very well," Kakuzu said, taking steady steps towards Naruto and stretching his arms. "I'll take care of this little snitch and the test subject."

"Hn. After that, perhaps you can take care of his foolish little partner too," Itachi said, glancing over his shoulder

Naruto grit his teeth, and pushed himself forward, breaking out into a sprint as he went for Itachi. Anger was boiling under his skin at the way he spoke of his brother, and he decided that even if he wasted time, he was getting a hit in on Itachi.

He raised his fist, growling loudly as he got in range to deliver a punch. He would snap the man's neck in one blow if he aimed right.

Itachi turned to face him with surprising speed, and Naruto caught sight of a smirk before he felt an intense burning in his eyes. He stumbled, crying out and squeezing his eyes shut. He felt something sweep his feet out from under him and he fell forwards with a cry. A hand clutched the front of his vest and he jerked to a stop. His eyes were burning and he couldn't do a thing but squeeze them shut and hope the pain would go away.

A hot puff of air on his ear made his eyes snap open automatically, and the burning increased.

"The virus might make a body near invincible...but there are still several weak points. The eyes are the weakest," Itachi hissed in his ear and then Naruto was shoved backwards. He fell and rolled over, getting as far away from Itachi as he could. The burning in his eyes was starting to go away, and as he rubbed at them he saw small granules of some kind of powder.

'_What the hell? Did he know I was going to attack and kept something handy? Or did he not trust Kakuzu...what's going on?_' he thought, glaring through his bloodshot eyes at the raven.

Itachi just smirked at him and walked away, waving over his shoulder as if they were old friends.

Naruto growled, ready to charge again.

"Naruto!"

Killer-Bee's shout made him turn around in time to see the foot heading straight for his face. He raised his hands, managing to catch the kick before it could break his nose. He felt the power of the added strength jolting through his muscles and he could barely believe that he held the same power.

'_Is this what my enemies feel? No, they feel it worse...one punch must feel like a truck!_' he thought and his mind flashed back to when he'd accidentally dislocated Sasuke's shoulder. '_Shiit...that must've felt like a fucking dinosaur stomped on it!_'

"Don't get distracted!"

The words broke through his thoughts seconds before he was slammed to a wall. It cratered around him, small shards of rubble clattering down around him. He coughed, more winded than hurt and pushed away from the wall in time to counter the punch. He caught Kakuzu's hand in his and used the momentary pause to spin around, slamming his elbow back into the man's jaw. Kakuzu stumbled back and Naruto leapt forward, delivering a bone-crushing punch to the man's stomach.

Kakuzu grunted and slammed into the opposite wall. He looked up, seeing Naruto rushing forward to deliver a finishing blow. A smirk curved his lips and Naruto's eyes widened when he felt something pushing against his lower stomach just as he reached him.

There was a loud bang, echoed with a wet crunch and a resounding splatter.

Naruto choked, blood squirting out his throat and speckling Kakuzu's cheek as he grinned darkly.

Killer-Bee was watching the entire fight, amazed at the power the men were displaying. His eyes bulged as he saw their current situation and he could help but shout.

"Holy shit! Naruto!"

Naruto drew in a shaking breath, feeling the way his torn skin and muscles began to fix themselves. He couldn't help but worry though. His hour of invincibility was drawing to a close very fast, and if he were reduced to average in this situation, he would be killed in a heartbeat.

Kakuzu chuckled darkly, pulling away the gun he'd pressed against Naruto's stomach. The tip was smeared with blood, a large dollop dripping down before splashing on the floor.

"Your regeneration rates are impressive...especially since you were injected with the virus prototype," Kakuzu noted calmly, watching as Naruto backed away and pressed a hand to his rapidly healing wound.

The blond coughed again, a spurt of blood falling from his mouth. He could feel pain now and it was a sign that his time was almost up. He needed to find a way to finish Kakuzu quickly!

'_Dammit! Dammit think! Even if I can't kill him, I need to subdue him long enough for Bee and I to run!_' he thought, shaking his head to get sweat out of his eyes.

Wait...

"_There are still several weak points. The eyes are the weakest..."_

His head snapped up as Kakuzu's hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him off the floor and pressing him against the wall. He clutched at the hand around his throat, trying to tug it off. Kakuzu was just staring at him, confident in his abilities to kill him. He didn't think Naruto stood a chance.

"Don't..." Naruto grit out, his teeth creaking as he clenched his jaw tightly, "Underestimate...me!"

He spit out the blood in his mouth and it splashed directly into Kakuzu's eyes. The man let out a surprised and pained grunt, his grip loosening as his other hand flew to his eyes. Naruto reached up, grabbing Kakuzu's wrist with both hands. He used his legs to kick the man back and as soon as there was space he swung his entire body around in a flip. He kept his hold on Kakuzu's wrist, and there was a crunch as it dislocated.

Kakuzu growled angrily, still trying to wipe his bloodied eyes. Naruto grabbed at his sleeve, hitting the small pressure spot and a thin blade slid out from the secret confines of the material. It was small and useful in emergencies.

He wasted no time, zipping forwards and with the last of the added strength he had, he slived the blade clear across Kakuzu's eyes and his nose.

The man cried out, blood gushing down as he backed away. Naruto knew he'd only gotten one eye, but it was all they needed.

He spun around, sprinting back down the hall and grabbing onto Killer-Bee's arm as he passed.

"No more time to dawdle! We need to get the hell out of here now!" he ordered and the muscled man just nodded and ran alongside him as they fled from the building.

'_Sasuke...hurry up and get out!_'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke glanced at his watch as he ran towards the area that Asuma and Konohamaru had come in from. He cursed, knowing that he had little over ten minutes to find his teammate and get out safely. He turned a corner and the sounds of a fight reached his ears.<p>

'_Shit, he was in trouble!_' he thought and picked up the pace, heading towards the noise. Someone was laughing manically, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Whoever Asuma was fighting sounded like a psychopath. He only hoped the older man hadn't gotten rusty during his time off.

As he turned another corner, ready to burst into the room and save yet another agent, his eyes landed on a person on the other end of the hall, standing there casually. His heart jumped up into his head, pounding loudly against his brain as his feet automatically stopped and jerked the rest of his numb body to a halt too.

Itachi stood there as if this was a public hangout and there was nothing strange going on. His hands were resting in his pockets and it was obvious that he had just been passing by and decided to stop and listen to whatever was going on in the room nearby. Cold black eyes locked onto Sasuke's, and the tension in the air became electrically charged. Sasuke's hands were shaking, and all of his instincts were screaming for him to pull out his gun and end the enemy before him. But another part of him, the heart of the young boy he used to be, was still beating excitedly at the thought of seeing his beloved brother alive and right there.

"Hn. I'm afraid I don't have time for you at the moment, foolish little brother," Itachi said, his voice blank and empty. Sasuke felt sweat run down the side of his face, panic and fear swirling in his chest when Itachi started to move.

Suddenly a scream of agony rung out from the room and Sasuke's eyes snapped to the door, knowing that it was Asuma that was yelling. He didn't have time to lose on Itachi...but...his brother...

"It looks like one of your pathetic comrades needs help," Itachi drawled, tilting his head slightly. Sasuke's eyes snapped back to him, his chest heaving up and down. He didn't know what to do. Suddenly Itachi turned to face him directly, eyes boring into his and Sasuke felt like all his air had been sucked from his lungs.

"Make a choice little brother. Come after me, or save your friend," Itachi said and then turned around, offering his back to Sasuke. He began to take slow steps away, obviously waiting to see what Sasuke chose.

Sasuke automatically took a step towards his brother, but another pained yell came from beyond the door and he stopped dead. He wanted answers...he wanted to face Itachi and find out what was going on. He wanted to know where he'd been, why he was doing what he was doing. There was so much he wanted and needed to know.

Asuma cried out again, the yell accentuated with a splattering sound and a screech from his opponent.

Sasuke's head hung, his fists shaking as he clenched them tightly by his sides. Itachi was still walking away, so slowly and tauntingly. Sasuke's heart thudded painfully in his chest, and his head was rushing with so many different thoughts he felt he was going to explode.

"_Keep your guard up and keep an eye out for your comrades!_"

Konohamaru's voice echoed in his mind, making his eyes open.

"_Don't forget my teachings!_"

Naruto wouldn't turn his back on a comrade. Naruto wouldn't have gone after Itachi in this situation.

He remembered back to when Naruto had taken a bullet for him from Deidara. Back to when he'd jumped in front of the bullet Itachi sent his way. He remembered Naruto covering him from the burning projectiles of the destroyed train, and the way he'd been there with him after his first reunion with Itachi. He could hear Naruto's voice as he soothed him, teased him, joked with him. He felt his arms slapping him upside the head, holding his shoulder and pulling him into a hug.

"_Don't forget my teachings!...Keep an eye out for your comrades!"_

His eyes opened and he looked up, head held high and determination alight in his eyes.

"Sorry, Itachi. I don't have time for you either," he growled and turned to the door, hurrying to pull the door open.

Down the hall Itachi had paused, listening to Sasuke's words and hearing him enter the room where his comrade was in need of aid. His eyes stared ahead before suddenly a smirk etched itself onto his face.

"Hn. Maybe next time then, Sasuke."

When Sasuke opened the door he had to take a step back to register what he was seeing. When things became clear, his eyes widened and he had to stop himself from shaking.

The room was a disaster zone, part of the back wall crumbling down and craters in the floor. It looks more like a war had gone on in here than a fight between two men. Blood spatters were decorating the floor and the walls, and empty shells were spread across the scene, leading to a discarded gun.

Sasuke looked over to the right, his face paling when he finally saw the two that caused the destruction. Asuma looked like a living corpse, blood smears all over his bruised and blackened face. He was gritting his teeth, taking shuddering breaths as he kept his hand on the long blade that was piercing through his chest.

"You motherfucking asshole! I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!"

A silver-haired man was right behind Asuma, practically chest-to-back with him and his own hands were clamped tightly under Asuma's on the end of the blade. Sasuke was easily able to put the pieces together of what was going on.

It was obvious that his opponent had the advantage...most likely the virus advantage if the chaos was anything to go by. Asuma would've fought long and hard, depleting all his ammo and breaking every other weapon before finally resorting to hand-to-hand combat. And at some point, they'd ended up in their position. Sasuke was certain than the enemy had the blade held to Asuma, most likely telling him not to move or he would kill him.

But of course Asuma wasn't going to give up just yet.

Sasuke rushed forwards, seeing the way the older agent was struggling to keep the blade piercing his chest and, as a result, the chest of his enemy, right by his heart.

"You think you've won, you dickhead? Huh? I'm an immortal you stupid fuck!"

Sasuke scowled, withdrawing his own gun and taking long strides to get up close and personal. There was an audible click as he cocked his gun and pressed the tip between the enemy's eyes.

"Let's test that theory shall we?" he growled and pulled the trigger. The crack of bone and the squishing of blood and flesh made his stomach twist in the familiar way of animalistic fury. The man's head jerked violently as if it were on a spring before he suddenly stilled.

Asuma let out a shuddering breath, his eyes barely seeing due to the intense pain he was suffering. His hands loosened and Sasuke moved quickly, pressing one hand against the man's shoulder and using the other to grip the end of the blade.

"Okay, on three, alright?" he said hurriedly and Asuma nodded.

"Alright...One—"

"Three!" Sasuke tore the blade out, ignoring the choked cry of pain as he dropped the weapon and pressed his hands to the wound, trying to stop the blood flow. His heart was racing as he realized just how close they would be cutting this situation. He had to wrap Asuma up quickly and then carry him out the building. After that they had to hurry to Kiba and get real medical help.

All in under eight minutes.

"Dammit," Sasuke cursed, tearing off a piece of material from his own jacket and hastily wrapping it around Asuma's chest to try and ease the bleeding. "Hang on Smoker, I'm getting you out of here."

"Heh...S-Sharingan actually c-caring...what h-has that blond d-done to you?" Asuma joked, wheezing out his breaths as he tried to stay conscious.

Sasuke smirked weakly, focused on tying a strong knot. He had just finished when there was a breathy laugh. His eyes widened and he felt Asuma tense against him as he looked over to where the enemy lay.

"Fuckers...I'm not...dead yet!"

"What the—" Sasuke shook his head, cutting himself off. Whatever form of the virus this man was using, it was something new and improved for him to survive a direct shot like that.

Asuma was starting to slump against him, obviously exhausted. "Sasuke...in my satchel..." he murmured through faint breaths. Sasuke reached into the man's attached satchel, feeling the last weapon that was unused. He pulled it out, seeing it was nothing more than a detonator.

His eyes caught the scratched initials and he looked over to Asuam, raising an eyebrow. The man gave a bloodied grin.

"A little...gift...from Shikamaru," Asuma wheezed and Sasuke nodded. He moved over to the enemy, noting that the man was struggling to move his limbs.

'_Hn. He won't have to worry about that much longer,_' Sasuke thought cruelly. He sidled up to the man, glaring down at him. Pained violet eyes looked back at him and Sasuke smirked, holding up the small detonator.

"A gift from our friends," he hissed and plunged his hand down, shoving the detonator into the gaping wound in the man's chest. He pretended he couldn't hear the agonized yell the action caused as he pressed the metallic object deeper into the bloodied passage. When it was settled he clicked the small switch and withdrew his fingers, blood oozing over his gloves.

"What the fuck did you do to me you asshole! What the fuck was that—"

Sasuke punched the man across the face to shut him up and then turned, grabbing Asuma and hauling the man to his feet. He dragged the near unconscious man towards the door, stepping through it and closing it. He could hear the man's screaming inside before suddenly there was a small explosion. All yells vanished and the sickening squelch told him all he needed to know.

The smirk on his face was demonic.

However, as he hurried down the hall, his smirk vanished. Asuma had blacked out and Sasuke was half-carrying the man on his back. He was smaller than Asuma and the man felt like he was made out of stone. Sasuke panted as he tried to run through the confusing halls, knowing that they were running out of time.

Suddenly alarms were going off, red alerts blaring from every corner. There were screams of a fire and then the ground was rumbling as upper levels began to explode and detonate.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! _FUCK_!" Sasuke continued to yell curses as he stumbled through the unsteady hall. He knew the door was just one more hallway ahead! He was so close.

A wall exploded somewhere far behind him and his eyes widened.

'_I'm not going to make it..._'

His heart seemed to skip ten beats and in his mind, flashes of his entire life began to play, right up into the last time he got to kiss Naruto. He didn't want to die! He really, really didn't want to die! Not now!

'_God, help me!_'

There was a strange noise somewhere behind him and suddenly Sasuke registered that the loud thudding he could hear wasn't his heart, but something approaching quickly from behind.

He didn't even get to ponder what new horror was approaching him before he felt something sweep him right off the floor from behind. He tumbled over, barely managing to hold onto Asuma's limp body before he was upright. The ground was moving beneath him, his head was jerking back and forth and there was a distinctly uncomfortable sensation near his crotch.

He looked at what was carrying him at high speed down the hall and couldn't help but shout his encouragement.

"GO LLAMA GO!" he roared, sinking his hands into the woolly green exterior and holding on tight as the mutated llama made its weird noise again and sped up. The rumble of explosions was louder than ever and he knew that it would be a split second finish. He bent closer to the strange animal, praying and hoping against hope that the creature would be able to get them out of here, even if it had to sprout wings to do so.

He chanced a glance up and straightened when he saw the door was approaching fast.

'_I'm going to make it!_' he thought and Mochi sprung up in his mind, wearing a green cheerleader outfit and waving pompoms like a maniac as he screeched madly.

'_RUN LLAMA! RUN LIKE THE FUCKING WIND!_'

They burst through the doors into the blizzard outside, but Sasuke felt as if they had just burst into a field bathed in sunlight. He was so relieved he pumped both fists in the air.

'_We're alive! We made it! We're alive bitches—'_

All rants and thoughts were blown to a halt when the doors exploded off their hinges behind him, launching him, Asuma and their green llama express straight through the air.

"WHOA!" Sasuke yelled as the snowy ground came up to meet him and he landed face first in a mound of snow. His legs flailed comically as he tried to breathe, and beyond the muted effect of the snow and the freezing cold, he could hear someone yelling orders. Hands wrapped around his legs and he felt himself get tugged out of the snow mound. When he was free he took a deep breath, looking around with wide eyes to see a burning laboratory and all of his teammates, plus Killer-Bee and an upside llama, surrounding him.

"Sasuke! Are you okay?" Naruto yelled above the roaring flames behind them. They were still pretty close to the building and they needed to get away soon before it could really become a crater.

"Yeah! I'm fine! We need to get out of here! Asuma's badly injured; he needs medical attention!"

Sasuke said, turning to see Konohamaru dragging his unconscious uncle out of the snow. The young agent was pale-faced, his hair wet and drooping from being out in the snow for so long. Naruto yelled out an order, to which both Konohamaru and Killer-Bee responded quickly, but Sasuke wasn't listening. He was too busy staring at Naruto, still awed at the fact that he had actually survived.

Something nudged the side of his face and he turned to see the llama standing there. He was surprised that it seemed to be calm in the freezing weather. He was pretty sure llama's weren't used to any sort of snow or icy weather.

But then again, this llama was a mutant of some sort. Maybe it liked the snow.

Sasuke raised his hand and petted the creature on its bulbous nose, smirking slightly when it gave a lop-sided llama smile.

"Good green-mutant-llama," he praised and a pink tongue lolled out of the creature's mouth as it snorted happily.

"Sasuke...you've got to be the only guy in history who can make bursting out of a burning building on a giant green llama look so badass," Naruto called, tugging the raven's arm to get him to climb onto the snow mobile waiting for them. Konohamaru already had Asuma secured and Killer-Bee was hitching a ride with him, standing on the back of the seat and reaching down to grip the sides tightly.

Sasuke smirked as they revved the engines, preparing to depart. He heard the llama follow after them, and urged Naruto to slow down slightly. At the curious look he received, he smiled and shrugged.

"The bloody llama saved our lives. Might as well find it a home. I'm sure Orochimaru will like it," he added and Naruto laughed loudly, turning back to focus on where they were going.

He hoped Sasuke wouldn't feel the blood seeping through his shirt.

**~ADB~**

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><p><strong>Well...there we have this extra long chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it and found it amusing and exciting and maybe somewhat thought provoking when it comes to green-llama rights... And for anyone wondering what the hell I'm thinking by adding a green llama...it's simple. Watch the ADB trailer on my youtube. XD I promised SilverXStarlight, the co-imaginator creator of this story that I would find a way to include the green llama at some point. Well...TADAA~!<strong>

**Now...I know you guys might be a little annoyed at the fact that I'm changing the update times...but I just find it's a lot easier if I do it every Friday. That way, when I get the motivating reviews, it's already a weekend so I'm free to start writing immediately! That'll mean I can update on time instead of having to delay! (I hope anyway)**

**Kaoru: What about the semi-cliffie you left this chapter off? They're going to have to wait until NEXT week Friday to see what happens next!**

**Ah yes well...it's not really too much of a cliffie.. I mean, we know why Naruto's bleeding, right? *looks out at readers* ...if you don't, reread the chapter...I'm sure you'll pick it up.**

**Kamari: I wonder what happened to Kakuzu...and, well, Hidan's already been blown to bits, I suppose. Why didn't we see Asuma's fight?**

**Simple... I had NO IDEA what to write. :/ I think that it would be easier to let the readers imagine what went down in that room, and they could use the Canon fight for a guideline... DX I'm sorry for blanking out on ideas for their super-awesome fight!**

**But either way...I hope you all enjoyed it and remember to please leave a review with your thoughts! I receive them all, read them all, and try to reply to them all when I can!**

**Until next time!**


	17. It Is Time

**Ugh, hi guys. Well, I'm currently sick so I'm not at all very pleasant today...but, here we have the next chapter! ^_^ I hope you all enjoy it!**

**Warnings/Disclaimer: Oh fudge it you know the drill.**

**Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes...  
><strong>

**~ADB~  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Sakura gently pressed her hand to Asuma's forehead before checking that his IV was okay. She scribbled something on her chart and backed away.<p>

"Well, he's going to be out for a while. He took some real heavy damage and barely managed to scrape by. But he should be fine," she said, sliding her pen behind her ear.

"...Notice the word 'should'," Sasuke murmured softly, his eyes trained on Asuma's face. The man was fast asleep still, and had been since he passed out on their way out of the lab.

Sakura looked upset as she held her charts closer. "Yes...he should be, but with the amount of damage he took there's a small chance that he might...well, that he might let go before he can heal," she admitted.

There was a sharp intake of breath to her left and she turned sympathetic eyes to the teen sitting on a stool. Konohamaru was pale and he was chewing on his nails, eyes never leaving his uncle's face. Sakura placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, but when he didn't respond she just pulled it back sadly and started to leave. As she passed Sasuke, he reached out to gently grab her arm. She paused and waited for him to speak.

"...And Naruto?"

She smiled slightly, having guessed that that was what he was going to ask. "Well, the gunshot wound to his stomach was hectic. Point blank range and all. But luckily he held on long enough to get medical attention. And then, of course, the virus in his system activated later so his healing was sped up. He's going to be fine, he just needs to take it easy," she said calmly, extracting her arm from Sasuke's grip. "Just as long as he doesn't get out of bed and run around!" she joked.

The door slammed open and Naruto ran in, dressed in pale pyjama pants and bandages wrapped around his middle.

Sakura froze up for a second in pure disbelief before she squawked angrily. "Agent Uzumaki, you get back in your bed this instant!" she ordered, pointing a manicured finger back out the door he'd just came through. Naruto ignored her, sparing a glance to Sasuke and Asuma before he looked directly at Konohamaru. His face went from slightly panicked to...nothing.

He was blank faced, no expression or emotion on his face as he stared down at the youth.

"You two," he motioned to Sasuke and Sakura, "Out."

"Excuse me? Did you not hear me?" Sakura snapped, rolling her sleeves up and flexing her muscles. She was really getting sick of her patients not obeying her orders. Did they not know the meaning of 'for your own good'?

"Out!" Naruto snapped back, turning a cold glare to them. Sakura looked ready to argue-and maim and torture- but before she could do more than suck in a breath Sasuke was ushering her out of the room. She struggled indignantly but he just forced her from the room, stepped out and turned to close the door. Before he slid it shut completely, he spoke.

"Take it easy. He's suffered quite a bit already."

Then he closed the door.

"Sasuke! What are you doing? Naruto shouldn't be walking around!" Sakura yelled, raising her charts threateningly.

Sasuke put his hands in his pocket and leant against the door. He smirked. "Notice the word 'should'" he repeated, quirking a brow while Sakura blushed profusely at his word play.

She huffed, crossing her arms. "I'm still in charge here! What the hell is he doing anyway?" she asked, irritated and snappy.

Sasuke leant his head against the cool of the door, hearing the faint voices beyond. He closed his eyes.

"He's taking care of his student."

Sakura stopped her ranting, eyes widening. Sasuke sent her a meaningful look and she swallowed, looking down at her feet.

"...Fine. But when he's finished, you drag his ass back to bed and make him rest! I don't care if you have to suck his dick to make him tired, you make. Him. Rest!" she punctuated each of the words with a harsh tap to Sasuke's chest, feeling a mix of satisfaction and hurt at the bewildered and blushing face he wore at her words.

With a huff and a nod she turned on her heel and stomped down the hallway, checking her charts for the next patient to attend to. Sasuke saw her falter in her steps before she suddenly came striding back up to him, slamming her clipboard against his chest.

"And you owe me a manicure!" she added, narrowing her eyes, "Because my nails are going to get screwed to hell after I give that bloody mutant llama a check-up!"

Sasuke just blinked and watched her storm away again. He rubbed at his chest where the metal clip had dug into his skin. He almost missed the quiet, shy Sakura that used to ask him for coffee. This new one, though no longer attempting to court him, was brash and fearsome.

If Sasuke was honest, he would admit she could be downright demonic at times. Especially equipped with a needle.

He shook his head to get rid of images of the pink haired nurse holding a giant syringe and instead turned to stare at the door, wondering how things were on the other side.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>As soon as the door closed behind him, Naruto walked up to the bed and towered over Konohamaru.<p>

"You disobeyed an order," he began and Konohamaru hung his head. "You disregarded the mission plan. You disregarded what I taught you! You left Asuma alone and went off on your own! What are my teachings, Konohamaru?" he said loudly.

Konohamaru mumbled something, the sound barely audible. Naruto growled.

"What are my teachings?" he yelled and Konohamaru flinched violently.

"Keep your guard up, keep your eyes sharp and keep an eye on your teammates and keep them alive!" he replied before burying his face into his arms. "I know! I'm sorry! I know I screwed up...It's my fault Uncle got so hurt! I w-wasn't there!" His shoulders shook as he sobbed, voice breaking repeated all his mistakes. "I broke your rules, I disobeyed an order, I let an enemy escape...I failed the mission! Even though it was a 'success', _I_ failed it!"

Naruto watched his student sob a minute longer before his blank face morphed into one of exhaustion, exasperation and the slightest hint of sympathy.

He moved over to Konohamaru and gently rested his hand on his student's head.

"So? What will you do from now on?" he asked quietly.

Konohamaru's sobs died down slowly, his knuckles white as he clenched the blanket. His head slowly lifted up and he took a deep breath, contemplating the question in his mind. When he finally moved his eyes to face Naruto, the blond was proud to see the strong determination in those brown irises.

"I won't make the same mistake again! I won't abandon a teammate again...and I won't disobey the rules unless innocent lives are on the line!" he said and Naruto smiled.

"That's better. Now, as for your punishment," he leered down at the younger teen and Konohamaru crawled onto Asuma's bed, hugging the unconscious man and praying to every God out there that whatever torture was planned for him would leave him with a seed of dignity that he could harvest after it was over.

Standing outside the door, Sasuke was getting edgy. It hadn't been all that long since Sakura had left, but he was still wondering whether Naruto was okay.

He had almost had a heart attack when they arrived at Kiba's location and got medics for Asuma and then Naruto suddenly collapsed, clutching his stomach. Sasuke had been in such a panic that it had taken Kiba, Killer-Bee and the mutant llama to pull him away. As the medics loaded Naruto up as well Killer-Bee explained the fight that the blond had had with Kakuzu. Sasuke was amazed that Naruto had taken a point blank shot that, in all honesty, should have shattered his spine and even ruined one of his lungs, and survived. It was thanks to the virus that the more severe damage had been repaired, but it wore off before he was completely healed.

Either way Sasuke had lost his cool for a moment and Kiba had just about had a cow when the Uchiha started turning his angry yelling to him. It was actually thanks to the llama that Sasuke shut up at all.

He shuddered at the memory.

"_Why the hell are we moving so slowly?" Sasuke roared, standing beside an unconscious Naruto as the truck they were in rumbled through the snowy paths. Kiba flinched, trying to calm the furious man._

"_We can't just go speeding around in a storm! We could get lost, or crash and then there would be no chance of survival for either of them and maybe even us! Just calm down, he'll be fine!"_

_Sasuke growled, placing a hand over Naruto's stomach and feeling the blood seeping through his bandages._

"_Does this look fine to you, Inuzuka?" he snapped, shoving his stained hand towards Kiba. The dog trainer leapt back, tripping and falling to the floor of the van. He stared up at Sasuke, worried that the man was going to smear Naruto's blood over his face to make a point. Sasuke was coming closer, looking ready to yell._

"_You all—" his wide open mouth was suddenly invaded by a long, sinewy tongue and Sasuke froze solid, eyes bulging as the llama pulled away and licked his cheeks. Slobber dripped from his skin and the tips of his lips and Kiba knew what was coming._

_The brunet shoved open one of the doors to the back of the van, revealing the cold and snow and Sasuke promptly fell to his knees at the edge and threw up his stomach to the world outside._

Sasuke shuddered again, swallowing away the memory of llama spit in his mouth. Seriously, what kind of animal walked up to a raging man and gave a long, slobbery lick right over their mouth?

'_Mutated, retarded green llamas do, apparently,_' Mochi supplied in boredom, rolling imaginative eyes.

Sasuke nodded in agreement, leaning back against the door only to flail in surprise when it slid open. He jumped away, spinning around and seeing Naruto standing there. The blond blinked at him, smiled and then fell forwards.

"Naruto!" Sasuke caught him and turned him over to see Naruto was a bit pale and sweaty. Blue eyes looked up at him and a weak smile stretched his face.

"Sorry...I guess Sakura was right," he wheezed, placing a hand on his stomach. "I shouldn't be moving around yet. It started to hurt again."

Sasuke sighed, pulling him closer and picking him up. He glanced into the room, seeing Konohamaru looked absolutely horrified as he hugged his sleeping uncle. Deciding to delay his questions, Sasuke carried Naruto down the hall towards his own room.

"Hn. You're an idiot," he mumbled and Naruto chuckled as he lightly thumped his hand against Sasuke's chest.

"And you're an asshole."

Sasuke smirked.

He arrived at Naruto's room and stood on one leg, using the other to slide the door open. He had to hop around for a few seconds and Naruto laughed at him for the ridiculous display even though he was being carried. Sasuke threatened to drop him, but they both knew he wouldn't.

'_I'm such a softie,_' the raven thought miserably, missing the days when he was a cold-hearted bastard that couldn't give two shits about anyone else.

"So, are you going to let me get into bed anytime soon?" Naruto asked casually, looking up at Sasuke from heavily lidded eyes.

The Uchiha started, having stopped beside the bed and gotten lost in thought. He threw Naruto a look that clearly stated 'I was getting there moron,' before gently lowering the blond to the bed. Naruto really looked tired, so Sasuke simply helped him manoeuvre under the blanket and lay back.

"Try not to have an exciting dream and start running in your sleep," he teased and Naruto snorted, giving him the finger. He was drifting off quickly and Sasuke could see it. In a moment of tender affection that he didn't even know he could exhibit, he brushed back Naruto's fringe and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. "See you when you wake up," he murmured, lips moving against the heated skin of Naruto's head. Naruto smiled, eyes sliding close and his hand brushing against Sasuke's face before it fell to his chest and he slipped into sleep.

Sasuke stayed beside him for a few minutes, just letting him slip into a deep slumber while he stroked his head absently. When he heard Naruto snuffle in his dreams, he smiled and stepped back.

Then it occurred to him that he still needed to report back to the Chief and give him his mission report.

With a sigh, the raven slipped out of the hospital room and made his way towards the Chief's office.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>In an agent's line of work, they were certain to see many things. Some would be pleasant or amusing; others would be heart breaking or disturbing. They would see blood and gore and violence. They would see innocent people getting tortured by the sick and twisted hands of the enemy. They would see children of evil men crying over their bodies, they would see the relieved and disbelieving eyes of hostages now set free. They would see the greatest wonders of the world and the lowest depths of hell that plagued the back streets of civilisation. They would see laughter and tears and anger and hatred and lying and filth. They would see strange cultures, rituals and beliefs, encounter odd people and enemies and be faced with some of the most outrageous schemes.<p>

But never had Sasuke, a well weathered agent, ever expected to see the sight before him.

It was only the look of pure helplessness on the Chief's face that gave him any sort of normality in the current situation. He blinked, his nose twitching at the strong scent of incense. Music flowed into his ears, sounding like a sitar or something similar. He couldn't pin point it.

"Well, it looks like the mission was a success indeed!" Orochimaru said sagely, a long pipe sticking out of his mouth and colourful bubbles erupting from the end when he blew into it. He tilted his head slightly, and the large pink feather that accentuated the lavender turban on his head fluttered through the air. He was wearing an open vested shirt that was bright purple with black markings, and loose fitting white pants that fluffed out. He looked like he belonged in an Aladdin play.

Sasuke wanted to step out of the office, but a stern glare from Sarutobi let him know that he would have to suffer through this with the elder man. Orochimaru blew more bubbles and his steed shifted slightly, chewing on a large clump of hay. Orochimaru reached down a bangle-decorated hand and stroked the green llama's neck.

Yes, Orochimaru indeed like the green llama. It was love at first sight, really. The moment Sasuke had stepped through the doors, following by the magnificent beast, Orochimaru had squealed like a little girl and flung his arms around the woolly neck, declaring then and there that the llama was his and he would kill anyone who said otherwise. And the llama seemed to take a liking to him too, if the way it started nipping his face was any indication.

Orochimaru blew some more bubbles and affectionately stroked his new pet, whom he fondly named Broccoli, levelling Sasuke with a curious look.

"So, Sasuke, did you meet Itachi on this mission?" he asked casually. Sarutobi sent him a withering look for saying something so touchy like it was a topic of food preferences. Sasuke sighed heavily, a twitch developing in his jaw.

"Yes. However, I didn't engage in combat. I had to help Asuma instead," he reported and the Chief smiled at him.

"Thank you for saving my son, Sasuke," he said sincerely and Sasuke nodded, offering a small smile in response.

"It's part of our company motto, is it not?" Sasuke asked absently. Sarutobi smiled widely and Orochimaru clapped.

"Aw, look at our little Uchiha! All grown up and unfreezing his little heart!" he cooed.

Sasuke picked up a pen from the Chief's desk and threw it with well aimed precision. It stabbed through Orochimaru's feathered turban and made it slide right off his head. The wide-eyed look of indignation on his face only made Sasuke feel all the better after his small victory.

"You just slaughtered my hat! I take it back; you're still a monster in a hot body!" Orochimaru snapped, putting his pipe to his lips and blowing an extra large bubble. Sasuke tried not to gag at the fact Orochimaru called him hot. It was just so wrong coming from him for some reason. The Chief also looked a bit green but he shook it off like the trained professional he was.

"Alright, well we have confirmation that the lab base is destroyed. It was already in the process of crumbling when Kiba pushed the button and set off the detonators. Now then, about the two mystery figures clad in white that Konohamaru spoke of," he said, sliding his hands across the table top and staring intently at Sasuke. "You say that, given the faint description he had, you may know who they are?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yes sir. According to Konohamaru's description, the one he encountered had blue eyes and two vertical scars on his cheeks. It matches up with a description of the two men we've encountered multiple times," he said and Sarutobi nodded, looking to the papers in front of him.

"Yes, the twins you mention. Kaoru and Kamari are their names, correct?" he asked and Sasuke nodded, stepping closer to peer at the folder. It was a gathering of information about their past missions and sketches of enemies they'd encountered. At the top of the page were two sketches of the red headed twins they'd encountered. Kaoru's sketch had a large red cross drawn over with a small 'deceased' written underneath.

"Perhaps, after his brother's death, Kamari has started to wager his own personal vendetta against both us and the organization. Somehow he seemed like the type that would be able to make a plan when given proper motivation," Sasuke theorized. Sarutobi hummed, cupping his bearded chin.

"Well, if that were the case, why did he give Konohamaru the warning to get out?" a voice said and all heads swivelled to the door. Sarutobi smiled, Sasuke raised a brow in confusion and Orochimaru toppled backwards from Broccoli's back, landing with a heavy-and jingly- thud.

"What in the name of Buddha is he doing here?" he screeched, pointing right at the newcomer with obvious loathing in his eyes. "Why is he within ten feet of me?"

The newcomer raised his hands in a sign of peace. "Now Chi-chi, I didn't know you were in here. How am I supposed to keep to the restraining order when I don't even know where you are?" he asked cheerfully.

Sasuke's other eyebrow rose, having no idea who this man was. He had wild white hair that was barely contained in a tie at the back. Two red tear-streak tattoos decorated his face and he wore a green jacket with a red and grey shirt underneath. Dark slacks covered his legs and then the look was finished off with a pair of...

'_Wooden sandals? What the hell?_' Sasuke wondered, staring at the traditional Japanese footwear with an incredulous eyebrow rise.

Orochimaru was spitting in rage as he shot to his feet, bangles jingling on his arms and hair shifting around his face.

"Goddamn it Jiraiya! Why are you here? Why are you even still alive?" he snapped, and Sasuke was surprised to see just how angry and worked up the man was getting. He'd seen serious Orochimaru and cheerful Orochimaru, and even a sad Orochimaru-a rare occasion- but never had he actually seen the man get angry. He got irritated or offended, but mostly he enjoyed toying with people and could easily turn a situation in his favour when someone tried to toy with him. But with the simple act of showing his face, this Jiraiya had gotten Orochimaru's panties into three twists and finished it off with a flourishing bow.

"Orochimaru! You behave yourself in my office!" Sarutobi snapped, narrowing his eyes at his former student. "I asked Jiraiya to come here today, as I need to ask him for a few favours."

Orochimaru turned his nose up, eyes boring death into Jiraiya's head. "What on Earth could this incompetent oaf have to offer that I couldn't do?" he asked in a sneer.

"Chi-chi, you offend me with your insults!" Jiraiya said in mock hurt.

"You offend me just by breathing!" Orochimaru snapped back.

Sasuke watched the chief massage his temples in exasperation. "It's not a case of what he can do that you can't, Orochimaru...it's just you are busy with handling the virus research here and I can't spare you on the field. Jiraiya's agency is well working enough that they can spare him for a mission and I don't trust anyone but my own students for the tasks I need done."

Sasuke's eyes widened as he looked at the white-haired man. So Jiraiya was another student of the Chief? That meant he was definitely one of the top Agents.

Orochimaru stilled looked angry and Sarutobi growled. "If you can't behave like a civil adult, then you can leave. Go take your new pet for a run or something," he said, waving his hand dismissively. Orochimaru huffed angrily, placing a hand on his llama's neck and starting to walk.

"Come along Henry," he said, leading the llama to the door.

"Henry? I thought you named it Broccoli?" Sarutobi asked. Orochimaru paused at the doorway, rubbing his pet's neck affectionately as he scoffed.

"His name is Henry Broccoli the First!" he said in a superior voice before leading Broccoli out the door. Jiraiya watched him go, smirking slightly.

"Nice Pokémon Chi-chi! Did you make him yourself?" he called teasingly.

"He's a _llama_ you twit!" Orochimaru snarled back before slamming the door.

The three men were silent for a moment before Jiraiya turned to the Chief, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. "No seriously, where the heck did he find a green llama? Is it diseased?" he asked.

Sarutobi shrugged while Sasuke just blinked. "Jiraiya, I'm glad you could come. This is Sasuke Uchiha; I told you about him before?" he said, motioning Sasuke.

"Ah yes! Naruto's partner in this whole mess of madness, right?" Jiraiya said, extending his hand. Sasuke shook it firmly, smirking.

"I like to think of it more as Naruto is _my_ partner in this whole mess," he said and Jiraiya laughed loudly.

"He's a snarky bastard. I like him!" he said, grinning widely as Sasuke took his hand back. Sarutobi chuckled as he leant back in his seat.

"Sasuke, this is Jiraiya Bunta, one of my former students. He also happens to be the leader of Naruto's agency. And," he smiled widely, "he is Naruto's teacher."

Sasuke's head whipped around to the man in surprise. "You're the idiot's teacher?" he blurted only to snap his mouth shut and mentally hit himself. That did not sound very flattering for Jiraiya.

However, Jiraiya only laughed at his wording. "Well, to be frank, yes. I had hoped that he would've been less of an idiot when working with you guys, but I guess some things just can't change," he said through a grin.

Sasuke fiddled with his hands. "Well...He's not a complete idiot during missions," he murmured and Jiraiya smiled in response. The man seemed to be made of nothing but grins, smiles and a lot of good humour.

'_Just like Naruto..._'

Sasuke shook the thought out of his head, knowing that now wasn't the time to start daydreaming.

"So, Gramps, what did you need me for?" Jiraiya asked, sliding his hands into his pocket. "Despite what Orochimaru might imply, I do have things needing to be done to better the world," he smiled. Sarutobi chuckled but it was more obligatory then amused. He leant forward in his seat.

"Sasuke, you may leave now," he said and Sasuke blinked before nodding. With a last glance at the two agents, he made his way out of the office. He almost had a heart attack when he opened the door only for Orochimaru to tumble forward, having been leaning against it to eavesdrop.

Sasuke ended up crotch-kicking the man out of pure instinct and Orochimaru left the scene with a considerable look of agony on his already gaunt face.

"So, what's going on?" Jiraiya asked as soon as Sasuke and Orochimaru were gone. Sarutobi pinned him with a sharp look before sliding his eyes to the side.

Jiraiya did the same and smirked. "You're very good indeed. I almost didn't notice you!"

Kakashi stepped out from his hiding place between the curtains and the bookshelf and sauntered over to the desk, hands in his pockets. He gave a polite nod to Jiraiya and a respectful bow to the Chief.

"So Kakashi, what news do you have?" Sarutobi asked.

Kakashi sighed. "I did all the investigations you asked of me and it turned up to be a positive. I think that, in light of these new revelations...we are ready to launch our attack directly onto the enemy organizations' home branch."

Jiraiya looked impressed. "You discovered where their main branch was? How?" he asked.

Sarutobi smirked. "An insider of Orochimaru's was the one who found it. He also sent word that the leader was thinking along the same lines as us...the organization was going to launch an attack on us as soon as the shipment of new viruses was completed in the labs. Considering the fact that we've eliminated that, I have no doubt that their leader is going to send the attack earlier. We need to strike them before they can strike us. It's our best shot."

Jiraiya cupped his chin thoughtfully. "I see...so it's time for the final strike then," he mumbled and the other two nodded. "I understand. I'll tell all my agents to prepare for a big fight. I'll take a team of my best ahead of you to give you some more of an advantage," he said and the Chief nodded.

"Perfect. I'll also be sending my best agents in and will have reinforcement teams waiting. I have no doubt that, once they realize we're attacking, the virus will be issued to all of their members and lackeys. We're going to have a tough fight ahead of us," he said, sighing.

"How do you plan to work against that?" Jiraiya asked.

Kakashi smirked beneath his mask. "You don't honestly think Orochimaru is just smoking weed and analyzing the virus in his labs do you?" he asked jokingly and Jiraiya blinked before bursting into laughter.

"Of course not, of course not! He's got something for you guys, I get it!" he said in understanding before his expression fell into a look of seriousness. "So this is it. We're making our final move now."

Sarutobi nodded again and stood up, moving to the window and peering out at the large expanse of city below. He took in each building and detail before drawing in a deep breath.

"This is our city...Our country...And I for one am not giving it up without giving my all to protect it," he said, turning his head to survey the other two. Kakashi only gave a curt nod, but the look in his eyes said everything his lips didn't. The determination and dedication was all there, burning like a fiery storm in the grey irises. Jiraiya's lips turned up into a smirk as he casually flexed his hands, looking around the office with a smile.

"Well...I guess I'd better head out and get everyone ready," he mumbled. He walked to the door and paused, hands on the doorframe. "Oh, and I'd like to take my student back with me before I leave. Now that both of our agencies are fighting together, there's no reason for him to stay under this roof anymore."

Sarutobi nodded but Kakashi quickly spoke up.

"Excuse me, Sir, but..." he looked between the two, "I don't think that would be a smart move..."

Jiraiya quirked a brow. "And why is that?"

Kakashi smiled under his mask, leaning his head back a bit. "Well it's just...I have a feeling that neither Agent Uzumaki or Agent Uchiha will take kindly to being separated."

Jiraiya blinked and turned around, crossing his arms. "What do you mean? They're just mission partners; we switch them up all the time!"

Kakashu chuckled. "That's the thing...they're not _just_ mission partners anymore," he said slowly.

Sarutobi sighed knowingly, a small smile on his face. "Kids..." he mumbled. Jiraiya looked at him and then back to Kakashi before realization dawned on his face. He jumped, pointing a finger right at Kakashi and opened his mouth.

"Y-You mean that they're...that they're..." he gaped.

Kakashi nodded. "They're together, yes."

"I KNEW IT!" two voices from outside yelled loudly before the door burst off its hinges. Orochimaru came rushing in with Kiba right on his heels.

"I fucking knew it!" Kiba yelled again, his eyes wide. He looked partially disturbed and partially triumphant at the revelation.

Orochimaru just looked like he was about to start singing for joy and dancing around the office—Oh wait, he was doing that already. Never mind.

Kakashi laughed at the two intruders while the Chief pinned Kiba with an accusing look.

"Eavesdropping, Inuzuka?" he asked and Kiba stopped his ramblings of how he 'knew it' to look rightly embarrassed and ashamed.

"I was just passing by..." he trailed off before pointing directly at Orochimaru. "HE STARTED IT!"

Orochimaru just waved happily, unconcerned at having been called out. Instead he turned to the Chief and grinned.

"You can't separate them now! They'll probably put up a fuss and if you force them apart, they'll be unable to function properly on missions!"

"I doubt that, but I agree that separating them might not be wise at this point," Sarutobi said with a shrug and turned to Jiraiya. "You don't mind if I keep Naruto just a little longer, do you?" he asked with a smile.

Jiriaya looked at him, then Kakashi, then Kiba and then Orochimaru before sighing and holding his hands up in defeat.

"Very well!" he said and Orochimaru clapped.

"Well, looks like you're not a complete waste of faecal matter after all!" he said brightly. Jiraiya just sighed.

"You always had a way with words, Chi-Chi..."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sakura sighed heavily as she poured herself a cup of coffee from the agency staff room kitchen, separate from the agent's lounge area. She stirred her sugar in, listening to the chatter coming from the couches. It was one of those rare moments where no agents were being prepped for missions and so most of the underlings could gather together and talk about things without being called away. Shikamaru and Chouji were sitting at one couch, listening to the loud exclamations of Kiba as he spoke about one thing or another. One of the underlings in Orochimaru's labs, an ex-agent named Anko Mitarashi, was sipping on a can of beer as she drank in Kiba's words. A pilot for the jets that often carried agents to their destinations was resting on another sofa, his arm thrown over his eyes while his other arm hung down to the floor. He snored loudly.<p>

Sakura adjusted her hold on her cup as she walked to join the others, taking a seat next to Anko.

"—And I knew it! I knew there was something fishy going on between them and I was right!" Kiba finished with a flourish before falling onto his chair and taking a deep breath. "But man, I didn't see it coming!"

Anko snorted softly into her beer. "I did," she mumbled and the others turned to look at her. She shrugged. "It's not unusual for agents that have been paired up to get into a romantic relationship. It's often bound to happen, especially when there's good chemistry between the partners," she said matter-of-factly.

Shikamaru let out a snort. "I don't see how whacking someone over the back of the head with a lunch tray can count as 'good chemistry'" he said and Chouji laughed in agreement.

Sakura tensed slightly, turning to look at him. "Wait, what's this? Who're we talking about?" she asked, having an idea but needing confirmation.

"Sasuke and Naruto," Chouji supplied. "According to Kiba, he overheard the Chief and Kakashi saying that they were 'together' now or something," he trailed off when he saw the way Sakura's shoulders slumped down and realization dawned on his face. "Oh...I-I'm sorry—"

"No, it's fine," Sakura sighed. She put her coffee down and put her hands together. She had already known in a sense. She'd seen it coming a long time ago, but there had never been an actual confirmation until now. It did hurt. She had still held a small hope in her heart that maybe, just maybe, she was wrong and that she still had a chance with Sasuke. But now that it was confirmed that he and Naruto were together, that flicker of hope was doused. She looked up, seeing all the concerned eyes on her and offered a smile. "Really, it's fine."

Anko stared at her before reaching over. Sakura flinched when Anko's hand brushed over her cheek and she blinked in surprise when the woman showed her a gathering of water. She clapped her hands to her cheeks, surprised to find that she was crying and hurriedly started to wipe at her eyes.

"Sakura..." Kiba started, feeling guilty for having brought the conversation up. Sakura shook her head frantically, sniffing loudly and clenching her fists.

"No! It's really fine! I...I already knew it, to be honest," she mumbled, looking to the side. "I had hoped that I was wrong but...in my heart I knew it from the start."

The others shared concerned and sad looks while Sakura pulled herself together. She sniffed again, wiping her eyes and her nose before taking a breath and looking up at them. "So, they're together. What brought on this conversation?" she asked.

"Well," Kiba started, thinking back and trying to dispel the awkward air. "I think it was something about Naruto's leader wanting to take him back to his agency...Something about 'now that the agencies are working together full time, there's no reason for him to stay in our building' or something like that," he shrugged.

"Working together? What does that mean?" Sakura asked, grabbing her coffee again and taking a sip.

"I heard from Orochimaru earlier," Anko said, shifting in her seat, "that we're going to prepare our final strike against the organization. All agents are going to be sent out in large teams and we're pretty much launching an all out attack on the home base of the enemy. The Chief thinks it would be best to apprehend the leader and all workers, and then destroy the base entirely so as to prevent any hopeful apprentices to continue the work later."

"Makes sense," Shikamaru muttered, scratching his head. "Better to just eradicate the problem altogether rather than leave a chance for it to come back later and bite us in the ass."

Sakura held her mug tighter. "So that means that all the agents are going to be sent into the belly of the beast?"

Kiba nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. And we're going to be working our assess off too. Sakura, they'll probably take you to the front-lines too as a medic. And I'm going to be going too no doubt as the general lackey as well as the fact that they're probably going to use a lot of the attack animals."

"I'll probably get called in as well," Anko sighed. "Damn, and I was so looking forward to my holiday."

They fell back into idle chatter while Sakura stared out the window.

'_This is it...This next mission is going to be the most dangerous yet,_' she thought and an image of Sasuke and Naruto flashed in her mind. She bit her lip. '_...I'll keep those two alive. No matter what!_'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>...For those who haven't already guessed...Yes, my dear minions, Agent Duck-Butt is heading towards the end. I'd estimate maybe... *thinks* three...maybe four more chapters? Just this one last assault left and then the movieseries/story comes to an end!**

***coughs and blows nose* Ergh, I really can't think of anything witty and/or important to say here...so I'll be taking my leave. Please remember to leave a review with your thoughts on the chapter!**


	18. Before the Storm

**Here we go, next chapter for all you lovely people out there! ^_^**

**It's a decent length, it's got humour, seriousness, Sasunaru fluff and hotness, backgrounds...yep. **

**Thank you to everyone who wished me a 'get well soon'! I have gotten better, now just a lingering cough and an irritating need for eternal tissues, but the pain is gone and I can actually talk without sounding like I have a lump of cotton in my throat.  
><strong>

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. The next few chapters are going to be filled with actions. (Hey, it's a final battle, what else can you expect?)**

**Warnings: Ah, lift your noses everyone. Take a sniff...what's that? Is that the faint scent of lime? Why...maybe it is. :3 Those who are not partial to the smell of citrus, please tread carefully when you see the '*~ADB~*'** **part.**

**Disclaimer: Me no own. You no own. No one own but Superman-er-Kishimoto own.**

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The sound of glass shattering filled the air. Angry curses followed the noise and the thuds of heavy and aggravated steps joined in the after echo of shattering glass.<p>

"Incompetence! That's all I'm presented with! Sheer, utter incompetence!"

Itachi casually tilted his head up as he watched the leader pace angrily, his face scrunched in anger and his hair fraying out slightly from the frustration. He swirled the glass of scotch in his hand, listening to the clinking of ice in the glass before he took a small sip to hide the smirk on his face.

"I have to agree with you sir," said a bland voice from a corner. It belonged to a man with pasty looking skin and strange, green hair. He wore a lab coat that was stained and dirty, and half of his face was covered by a black mask. "After all, I leave my lab for just under an hour to deliver some tests, and I come back to find it turned into the biggest bonfire this side of the world," he continued and his lips pulled into an unemotional pout before he took a sip of his own drink. "I didn't even have any marshmallows handy to roast," he added in a blankly sorrow tone.

"That's not funny Zetsu!" the leader roared, slamming his hand on the desk. There was a very small snort from the other corner of the room.

"I thought it was funny," Kisame said quietly, grinning behind his hand as he cupped his chin. Itachi took another sip, hiding yet another smirk. The leader rounded on him, eyes burning in cold fury and Itachi's face went blank.

"And you! You were there...you _saw_ the agents. And what did you do?" the leader hissed, striding over to him and getting up in his face.

Itachi remained quiet, staring into the man's eyes.

"You did diddly-fucking-squat! _That's_ what you did!" the leader screamed loudly and Itachi met the anger with an emotionless stare.

"Honestly sir, I didn't expect the lab to go up in flames. I had thought Kakuzu was more than capable of taking out one little agent...perhaps you put your trust in the wrong man," he said calmly and took another, slow sip of his drink.

The leader glared at him before slowly, a cold smirk slid onto his face as he took small steps back from the Uchiha.

"Perhaps you're right," he said lightly. "Perhaps I did put my trust in the wrong man."

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly at the tone and his shoulders tensed ever so slightly. The leader's smirk widened.

"Kisame!" he barked suddenly and the muscular man lifted his head in acknowledgement. "I'm tired of waiting around for those blasted insects to find us... We're going to take the fight to them," he continued, turning his attention to Kisame. "And I think you should lead our little army."

Kisame grinned, showing off his rows of sharp teeth. "I can do that...I haven't had a chance to fight any of these 'strong opponents' and I'm eager to see how they've gotten so far," he said, flicking his wrist and brandishing a blade. It shone in the light and he slid the flat edge across his mouth in a caress.

The leader nodded, turning to Zetsu who was swirling his scotch around and staring mesmerised into his glass.

"Zetsu," he snapped and the scientist jumped, scotch spilling out and onto his already stained coat.

"Yes, your highness?" he said dazedly before blinking. "I mean, sir?" he corrected as the leader glowered at him.

"I want you to issue the virus to all the assembled men. And give them repeat doses to take with them so that they won't become vulnerable during the fight. Once we get this agency out of the way, we can continue your research and perfect the virus," he said as he strode to his desk and poured himself another glass since he'd smashed his first one against a wall in frustration.

Zetsu hummed, putting his own glass down on a shelf and only blinking when the entire thing collapsed to the floor with a crash. "That will be a bit harder to do than we thought," he mumbled, intertwining his hands together.

The leader looked up sharply. "What do you mean?" he snapped.

Zetsu examined his linked hands, twisting his fingers several ways. "Hmmm, it looks like someone stole all the blood samples of the subjects from my lab," he informed nonchalantly. "There was nothing left from the ruins that we could use, and all the blood samples that are the foundation of my research were gone. Not even burned, just vanished," he emphasised his words by making 'vanishing' motions with his hands. His eyes stayed on his limbs, missing the way the leader went red in anger.

"Are you bloody kidding me?" the man roared, throwing his second glass right at Zetsu. It smashed above his head and the scientist only blinked when pieces of glass tumbled over his head. He reached up; pulling one piece from his hair and staring at the blood that oozed from his now cut fingers with fascination.

"No sir, I'm not joking. Our blood samples are gone, so even if we managed to eliminate the agents, we'd still—"

"We'd still be back to square one," Itachi finished and took a long swallow of his scotch, almost finishing it. "My my, it seems the agents are gaining ground faster than we realized."

The killer glare sent his way did little to faze him as he swallowed the last of his scotch and held his hand out. "Perhaps, most esteemed leader, it would be wise of us to attack sooner than we planned," he said, training his eyes on the man at the desk. "After all, from what I can guess, the agents still have several of our potential subjects holed up in safety...if we attacked first and destroyed them, we could easily get the location of the hide-outs and recapture our subjects to get their blood. After that, it's simply a matter of," he released the glass, letting it fall to the floor and shatter, "...Breaking it down again."

The leader tilted his head back, staring at Itachi contemplatively. "...You have an idea there," he mumbled.

A knock on the door interrupted any further conversation, and all four men's heads turned to the doorway as it creaked open.

"Ah," the leader said cheerfully, "Kamari! Please come in."

The red head slowly walked into the room, his head down. He took careful and slow steps, eyes doing a short sweep of the room before landing on Itachi. The Uchiha stared back at him for a moment before the beginnings of a smirk took over his face and he gave a minute nod of his head.

"I heard the sad news about Kaoru. Such a shame, he was quite entertaining," the leader said nonchalantly and the red head looked to him briefly before looking to the floor.

"...Yes sir," he mumbled.

"Anyway, I have a job for you," the leader began, moving to his desk to shuffle through the papers. "I need you to get all of this prepared as soon as possible," he said, pulling out a paper and striding over to the young man. He thrust it forwards, waiting for the twin to catch it and glance over it.

"...Is that all sir?"

The leader quirked a brow at the almost condescending tone, but he shrugged it off as hearing things. Kamari was always such a quiet little lackey, never speaking up around him unless told to do so and he'd never talk back. It was the difference between him and his brother. Honestly, the leader considered Kaoru's death to be a lucky break. He was getting sick of seeing the angry glares sent his way after he tore out Kamari's stitches.

"Yes, that's all. Run along now," he said, waving his hand in a shooing motion. The red head gave a short nod and turned to stride out of the room. Kisame watched him go and for a brief moment he made eye contact with the younger man. His eyes narrowed when the red head almost smirked at him, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. But it was gone in a second and he was out of the door. Kisame frowned, wondering why something had seemed so off.

"Now then...about our plans to attack," the leader was saying and Kisame shook off the feeling to pay attention.

Outside, the red head walked down the hall quickly, tucking the paper into his pocket. He turned a corner and jumped when he almost ran into another person.

"Kamari!" Ryoumen said in surprise, taking a step back. "I...I didn't see you there."

"No shit Sherlock," the twin said gruffly, shaking his head and moving to step around the other man. A hand grabbed his wrist and he stopped, sending a dark look over to the man stopping him. "What?"

Ryoumen looked upset. "I just...I heard about Kaoru. I'm...so sorry," he said sadly. "I really liked him; he was a great and funny guy. I still can't believe he's dead."

Slowly, the grip wavered and the red head pulled his arm back, nodding. "Yeah sure, whatever. It's okay. I'm fine. Can I go now?" he asked impatiently.

Ryoumen looked confused and shocked but he nodded slowly, walking away. The twin gave a curt nod in return and quickly walked away.

His lips twitched into a smirk and his green eyes gleamed. '_Dumbass._'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke snorted as he was abruptly woken up and he jerked in his seat, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. There was laughter from beside him and he turned blurry eyes to see Naruto sitting there, grinning widely.<p>

"Morning princess!" the blond greeted cheerfully, snickering as Sasuke wiped at his mouth and grimaced at the gooeyness of his mouth. "Sleep well?"

Sasuke cleared this throat, wiping his eyes. "I slept in a plastic chair with your bony leg as a pillow," he replied hoarsely and gave Naruto a look. "How do you think I slept?"

Naruto chuckled, rubbing his neck. "Well...you'll be happy to know that you won't have to sleep with my bony leg as a pillow again since I'm all healed up now!" he declared and Sasuke smirked.

"You're a cheater you know that?" he said, standing up while Naruto laughed again.

"Not my fault! I never asked to get injected with Superman toxins," he defended as he climbed out of his bed and reached for his clothes which a nurse had brought in earlier. Yanking on his shirt, he turned and watched as Sasuke stretched his back, wincing slightly as his joints clicked into place. "Hey, do you know what's going on outside? When I woke up earlier, I heard one of the nurses and Sakura talking about making preparations to leave and such." He looked down, standing on one leg as he started to tie his shoelace.

Sasuke shrugged. "No idea. I've been here since I finished debriefing the Chief," he yawned before a light clicked on in his head. "That reminds me," he turned to face Naruto and smirked. "I met your teacher."

Naruto 's head snapped up so fast he lost his balance and stumbled into a nearby table, knocking over the flower vase and sending it to the floor with a crash. Sasuke winced at the noise and pressed a finger to his temple when he heard footsteps outside before the door slid open.

"What happened?" Sakura demanded, stepping into the room and looking around. She saw the vase and Naruto standing up and sighed. "Agent Uzumaki," she drawled and Naruto waved a hand in her direction.

"Don't worry! I'll pay for it, I promise! I'm so sorry it broke!" he said hurriedly, straightening up and walking over. He only had one shoe on. "And besides it was this bastard's fault anyway."

Sasuke made an indignant noise. "Don't blame me for your lack of brain cells. Blame whoever dropped you when you were little," he replied, smirking when Naruto sent him a pouting glare.

Sakura sighed, shaking her head before fixing the two of them with a stern look.

"You two need to report to the Chief immediately. He'll inform you on what needs to be done," she said, moving to open the curtains wider. Sasuke and Naruto nodded, heading for the door. "And Agents," Sakura called with her back to them. They paused in the doorway, turning to look at her. She rested her hands on the windowsill briefly before looking at them over her shoulder. Her eyes were gleaming slightly.

"...Good luck with everything," she said.

The two men shared confused looks, but Sakura waved them out of the room before they could question. They put it out of their minds, instead hurrying through the halls.

Until Naruto remembered his shoe and ran back to fetch it, leaving Sasuke to face-palm at his stupidity.

As they hurried through the building they noticed the amount of activity going on. Agents were storming back and forth while the underlings scrambled like mad ants, pushing carts of weapons or moving racks of outfits. They passed by the animal centre and both of them shared concerned looks when they heard Kiba screaming 'RELEASE THE HOUNDS' at the top of his lungs. When the sounds of barking and snarling became apparent, they fled the hall.

"Is it just me, or is shit going crazy here?" Naruto murmured as they stood in the elevator. Sasuke nodded minutely, but before he could reply another voice spoke up.

"Indeed, there is much youthful activity in our agency!"

Naruto turned around with a curios expression. When he caught sight of who spoke his face turned horrified and he looked to the front again, putting a hand up like a shield at the side of his face.

"Sasuke, don't look now, but there's a giant mutant vegetable standing behind us," he said shakily. Sasuke smirked.

"It's not a giant mutant vegetable, moron. It's Agent Rock," he drawled, turning to greet the green-spandex wearing man. "Hello Agent."

Lee Rock nodded, his big eyes serious as he looked at Sasuke. "Good morning Agent Uchiha. I assume that you have not heard the news then?" he inquired.

"No, apparently not. We're heading up to the Chief's office to be debriefed now," Sasuke replied, shoving Naruto's arm to make him stop acting like a freak and turn around. The blond did, but kept his eyes averted.

"I see. Well, I do not want to give anything away by saying anything more than this; We are taking our final stand against the organization in a short time, and everyone is preparing for the large attack," Lee said.

Naruto snorted. "Yes, because that's not revealing at all," he muttered. Sasuke's lips twitched.

"Thank you Agent," he said as the elevator doors dinged open and he stepped out, dragging Naruto along with him. Lee saluted them respectfully and Naruto pressed a hand to his mouth to stifle his snort as the doors slid closed, taking the strange man with them.

As soon as they were a few steps from the elevator, Naruto started to laugh. "Wow," he said, his voice higher in pitch due to his laughter. "I mean...Wow."

Sasuke snickered himself. "I know. Agent Rock has a rather...interesting...dress sense," he said carefully.

Naruto keened out a laugh, grabbing Sasuke's arm and pulling him closer so that their shoulders knocked together as they walked. He kept his hand around Sasuke's arm. "If by interesting you mean downright scary then yes, very interesting!" he whispered and Sasuke tried not to laugh, biting his lip. For some reason he felt somewhat giddy and found simple things to be amusing. Perhaps it was because he was still half asleep? Or maybe the fumes of the hospital area had gotten to him while he slept? Or maybe it was because Naruto was alright and right next to him, his warmth and scent right there for Sasuke to drink in?

'_Mushy mushy!_' Mochi cheered in his head. '_Why don't you just molest him in that alcove over there?_'

Sasuke had to admit it wasn't a bad idea. He turned, walking backwards so that he could look at Naruto. Smirking and quirking up an eyebrow, he watched as the blond slowly frowned in confusion.

"What?" Naruto asked, unsure of what to make of Sasuke's expression. The Uchiha grinned.

"Nothing."

Naruto blinked and found himself in an alcove. Looking all around he let a slow, amused smile spread over his face before turning a haughty gaze to the man pinning him to the wall.

"Seriously? Molestation in an alcove at the workplace?" he asked and Sasuke shrugged.

"I figured we haven't had much of a chance to explore this whole 'dating' thing since we've been so busy. Might as well use the little time we have, wouldn't you say?" for extra measure, he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Naruto laughed aloud, quickly muffling the sound with his hand so that they wouldn't attract attention from any passersby.

"You know, I'm pretty sure that the word 'dating' was derived from the word 'date'...and need I point out that we haven't been on a single one?" Naruto reminded, but didn't object when Sasuke sidled right up to him, their chests flush together.

"On the contrary," Sasuke mumbled, letting his nose bump against Naruto's, "I happen to consider that shopping trip our first date," he began and leant in, giving a quick peck to Naruto's lips and receiving a chuckle in reply. "And that whole 'lazy day' exercise was our second date—"

"And you failed spectacularly," Naruto chipped in and was silenced with a nip to his lower lip.

"And then there was the club, which would have been our third date had Pinocchio not interrupted with his attempts to have us killed," Sasuke finished and Naruto's laughter was cut off as their lips pressed together.

Naruto let his eyes slide shut, enjoying the kiss. Sasuke was a talented bastard in not only his work but his romantic skills. But Naruto would be hung, drawn and quartered before he openly told the man that. If he did, his big head would stop them from leaving this alcove.

Opening his eyes slightly, he looked at Sasuke's closed eyelids, marvelling the dark lashes fluttering against pale cheeks. Something twitched and his eyes lazily slid over Sasuke's shoulder, widening when he saw a small gathering of people standing around the alcove and watching them curiously.

"...Mm...Sasu..." he tried to speak, bringing a hand up to poke at Sasuke's shoulder awkwardly. Sasuke seemed lost in his own little world as he either ignored Naruto or didn't hear him, continuing to move his lips over the blond's quite happily.

"Uhm...Sasuke," Naruto tried again between the lip-to-lip caresses, lifting both hands to push at Sasuke's shoulders. Sasuke finally pulled away with a roll of his eyes.

"What, moron?" he asked, not at all pleased at being interrupted. Naruto cleared his throat and nodded over his shoulder. Sasuke turned his head, freezing in place when he saw the amount of people watching them. Mentally, he began to shiver and break down from awkward embarrassment. But he had to salvage the situation somehow!

'_Play it cool! Just, act nonchalant!_' he thought frantically and took a small breath before fixing the crowd with an unimpressed stare.

"What's the matter?" he said loftily, shifting on his feet slightly as he straightened up and unpinned Naruto from the wall. "...Never seen a couple of guys kiss before?"

'_Oh dear God..._' Mochi face-palmed and Sasuke internally winced.

There was a light snort from the crowd and one of the women spoke up.

"No, we've just never seen _you_ kiss _anyone_, let alone the partner you seemed to hate," she said, grinning when the two men shared uncomfortable glances and swung their arms.

"Well...that's none of your business now is it?" Sasuke countered, tilting his head up. He may have pulled off the haughty look well if not for the fact that his cheeks were reddening. Naruto coughed into his hand, deciding to step in before Sasuke made things worse.

"Well, we're late for a debriefing with the Chief, so we have to move along now," he smiled at the crowd, resting his hands on Sasuke's shoulders and urging him away. Everyone stepped aside, letting them pass, but they never took their eyes off of them, even when the two turned around and began to speed-walk down the hall.

"Are they still watching?"

"Yes."

"...Can I flip them off?"

"That would be impolite Sasuke—"

"—And watching us make out isn't impolite?"

"...You have a point. Okay, we'll flip them off on the count of three?"

"Okay."

"Three—"

"Two-One!"

"Bastard!"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke didn't like the knowing looks he was getting from the two men present. He would even go so far as to say he was getting uncomfortable and, dare he say it, embarrassed. The fidgeting going on with the man right beside him showed that Naruto was also struggling under the intense looks of their two superiors.<p>

Finally, a throat was cleared and Sasuke reckoned the sound to rival that of an angelic choir singing the way to the gates of St Peter.

"My, that's a rather large bruise on your neck, Naruto. What sort of creature put it there?" Kakashi asked jovially.

And Sasuke's earlier thoughts were pummelled to pieces with Thor's hammer. Damn that scarecrow.

"Agent, let's not tease the boys," Sarutobi said with a smile and Sasuke turned an appreciative stare towards him, even though his face remained impassive. "After all, the kinky things they do in the bedroom, or hallway alcoves, are none of our business!"

Sasuke's appreciation soured immediately and Naruto choked on his own oxygen. Kakashi just grinned behind his mask while the chief looked innocently curious. Clearing his throat with irritation, Sasuke pinned the two of them with a glare while Naruto stopped hacking up his lungs and managed to breathe like a regular human being.

"I believe there is something big happening?" he asked, prompting the end of the conversation and sending it in a new direction.

Kakashi waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, it's nothing too big," he said flippantly. "Just, you know, the Final Battle. The Big Showdown. The Last Stand. Clash of the Titans. Fight for Freedom. War of the Agents. L'attaque finale! La lucha del jefe! Saigo no tatakai—"

"OKAY WE GET IT!" Naruto yelled, cutting Kakashi off. The silver-haired man smiled, lowering his hand which had been gesturing as he listed off the possible names of the events around them. Sarutobi shook his head before focusing on the two agents, resting his hands together and lacing his fingers.

"Yes, as Kakashi so clearly pointed out, we've reached our final mission regarding this wretched organization. It's all or nothing now. We've pretty much gathered all information regarding their plans as well as gotten everything we could on their research. Now, there's no more time to waste. Now we destroy them and end all their threats to our country," he said, closing his eyes as he finished, envisioning the peace that would bring to his heart.

Naruto looked over at Sasuke, wondering how he felt about this. After all, this was a big mission. The biggest, in fact. This entire time, they'd been on a serious mission and now that it was reaching its final days, the air was highly charged. So much had happened in such a short span of time. At least, he thought so. He'd gone from wrangling down two-bit crime organizations that focused more on drug or human trafficking, and had his fair share of saving the kidnapped children of celebrities or politicians. But something that could've destroyed the country? Possibly even the world?

This was what agents lived for.

And when he'd been chosen, the euphoric feeling of having his skills acknowledge and recommended for such a mission made him feel like he could die happy. But of course, then he'd been partnered up with a complete jerk who, despite all of Naruto's friendly instincts, just rubbed him the wrong way.

'_Oh, how wrong an assumption that was,_' he thought, internally laughing at the pure irony that the man he'd disliked so strongly upon first meeting-and with good reason mind you-turned out to be the man he was currently 'dating' and calling 'boyfriend'.

'_The world is full of mysteries,_' he mused, shifting slightly as the Chief continued to explain what was their next mission. He knew he should be paying attention, but he figured he could just ask Sasuke to explain it later if he forgot anything. For now he thought over everything that had changed and wondered what all his friends in his old agency would say.

He blinked.

'_My old agency...Why am I referring to it as 'old'. I'm still a part of that agency, even if I'm not currently working under their orders. Although, technically my working and cooperation with the Chief are my orders...so I am working under their orders in the end. And once this final mission is done I'll..._' his eyes widened slightly as realization struck. '_...I'll be leaving here and going back to my agency._'

He was no fool. He knew that just because he no longer worked in this particular agency didn't mean he would never see Sasuke again, but he was an agent. They both were. And thus they would often be sent away on missions, sometimes for months and other times just for a few hours.

Like the monthly 'Tampon Run Mission' that Jiraiya initiated for all the female agents. However, since they wouldn't be in the 'mood' to go out to buy tampons, some poor sucker was chosen at random to do it. Naruto shuddered at the memories of stocking an entire shopping cart with Tampax and Lilet and God knows what other brands that scarred him for life.

'_Damn that whole synchronization thing that women get going on!_' he thought sullenly, revisiting dark times in his mind of the Week of Hell that his agency went through every month.

But back to the main issue, he glanced towards Sasuke, watching as he nodded at whatever the chief was saying. He wondered if the Uchiha had taken it into consideration that, once this mission was over, they'd not be able to spend much time together but for the occasional coinciding day off.

And how often would that happen?

Even with the big bad organization gone, there were plenty of smaller ones with less threatening plans that still needed to be taken care of. And even though it would require less effort or planning to deal with them, it was time consuming.

"Alright, that is all. The two of you will be allowed to go back to your residence for some real sleep. And also...just in case, I suggest you leave a letter of instruction for any loose ends that need to be dealt with," Sarutobi finished, pinning them both with a semi-sad stare. He had confidence that the boys would be alright, but in this business one could never be too prepared.

Sasuke nodded and turned, seeing Naruto looking just a little dazed. He stopped himself from rolling his eyes, knowing that Naruto probably paid about a hair's worth of attention to the entire briefing. Sometimes he questioned his sanity.

Actually no, he always questioned his sanity. Ever since that fateful night in a fountain with a fish flapping in his hair and an Orochimaru-wannabe inside his head trying to convince him of his sexuality.

Sasuke had come to accept that he might just be a lunatic.

They walked out of the chief's office and began their journey down the hall. Naruto laced his hands behind his head, creating a kind of suspension to rest his neck against as he kept in stride with Sasuke. His eyes roamed over the hallway with a kind of detached familiarity. Sasuke had his hands in his pockets, his eyes occasionally sliding to the side to observe his blond counterpart. He could tell that something was on the blond's mind and felt a burning curiosity to find out what and, maybe, make it better.

"What's bugging you?" he asked eventually, keeping his eyes ahead. Naruto tilted his head towards him, eyes becoming clearer with curiosity.

"What makes you think something's bugging me?" he asked.

Sasuke shifted his shoulders in what may have been a shrug, but Naruto's sharp eyes caught the dusting on his cheeks and the way his eyes tried to avoid his before he fixed his error and kept eye contact.

"I can tell. You're distant and quiet. Two big signs that something is actually buzzing in that brain of yours," he said, smirking at the end of his sentence when the distance vanished and Naruto was knocking his shoulder harshly as punishment for the jibe.

"Asshole," Naruto scowled but it was soon replaced with a thoughtful look. "...You realize what happens when this entire ordeal is over with, right?"

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, not understanding. "Yeah... We defeat the enemy, celebrate our victory and then resume normal missions and such like before," he said. Naruto waited, watching him carefully as they reached the elevator and stepped into its empty compartment. When Sasuke didn't continue, he sighed.

"Right, and where was I before?" he asked, making a rolling motion with his hand to emphasis his point. Sasuke scowled at him for the gesture.

"You were..." his voice stopped as his eyes widened and his mouth stayed open in a small, surprised 'o'. Naruto grimaced, nodding in affirmation at Sasuke's epiphany. They stood in the elevator as it rumbled towards the first floor, silent and contemplative.

Sasuke honestly hadn't thought about the fact that Naruto was from a different agency. In the time they had spent together as partners, he'd grown accustomed to Naruto's presence...as if he'd always been there. Sasuke couldn't honestly say he would be fine when Naruto left. The blond was like a powerful energy force, and anyone would notice when that force vanished. It would be like the power going out. Something that you hate, and wish it didn't happen, but there was little you could do and so you had to learn to deal with it. You would fill the place of the generator with pitiful candles and maybe a flashlight or two, but nothing could compare to the glowing sun that originally lit up the darkened world.

The doors dinged open and Sasuke robotically walked out, Naruto in step beside him. They walked through the lobby, the marble floors causing their steps to click. A few scatterings of agents were standing around, some socialising and others writing on notepads or texting on phones. Everyone was getting prepared to go on the final mission the next day.

"Uchiha! Uzumaki!"

They turned at the voices and saw several of the agents waving to them.

"Good luck tomorrow!" they shouted and Naruto cheerfully waved back while Sasuke nodded.

"Thanks! You two!" Naruto called back and receive waves of acknowledgment in return. Sasuke led the way out of the building, into the sunlit streets. Cars rumbled past and the usual sounds of the city buzzed in their ears. It was a sound that they never could appreciate, as they were often locked away in their quiet agency buildings, or else sent somewhere else where the usual noises were replaced with gunfire, tortured screams and bad grammatical threats from brutish thugs attempting to intimidate. The calls of birds, the honking of a horn and the trills of a cell phone were like a musical choir that sung of 'normality', something that agents learned to forget about during missions because in the world of lies, deception and intimate brushes with death, normality was not a common occurrence. One had to be far from normal to be a successful villain after all. And what better way to counter the uncommon that to be uncommon too?

They walked down the sidewalk, side by side. Avoiding the civilians rushing about was like child-play, Naruto reckoned. He was so used to avoiding things in a high speed pursuit, that dodging one jogging girl and a hurrying man with a briefcase and a sour attitude seemed so trivial. He could've forward flipped over them both with nothing but his legs and the building wall nearby to give him leverage.

Sasuke was thinking the same thing, temporarily distracted by the world outside the agency. He watched the people around them with curiosity, wondering what it was like to be in their shoes. He saw a mother walking with her two children, both of whom were clinging to her arms and screeching about ice-cream. Sasuke saw the way the woman looked exhausted and frustrated, but when she agreed and her children hugged her tight and smiled, he saw the glowing fondness in her eye.

He saw a group of construction workers having a lunch break on a corner by some machinery. One of the men reached into a cooler and extracted several beers, tossing them to the others. One of the workers, a lanky young man who looked more suited for network hacking than construction work, missed his bottle and let out a disappointed groan when it shattered on the floor. The raucous laughter of his co-workers did little to make him better, but then the first man was grabbing another beer and jumping right over the large hole in the ground to pass it to his co-worker.

"Strange isn't it?"

He turned his head, looking at Naruto as they stood at the edge of the sidewalk, waiting for a light to turn green and allow them and the gathered pedestrians crossing.

"What is?"

"Everything," Naruto mumbled, sweeping his hands out. "We're so used to seeing the dark side of the world that seeing the normal, everyday interactions of average citizens is like...it's like visiting a zoo."

Sasuke nodded, watching the little man turn green. They followed the gathered crowd across the road as he thought on Naruto's words.

"It makes me a bit jealous, you know?" Naruto continued as they reached the other side and began their trek towards Sasuke's apartment.

"How so?"

"Well," Naruto looked around, spotting group of young teenagers laughing together as they window shopped. He pointed towards them. "There. When I was that age, Jiraiya shoved me off the side of a cliff and I had to figure out how my parachute worked before I became nature's new carpet," he said and Sasuke snickered. He observed the group of young teens and nodded.

"True. When I was that age, I'd already killed a man and was disarming a bomb in an apartment complex," he admitted and Naruto laughed.

"Exactly my point! We've been in this world from such a young age! You and me especially. I know a few of the agents get in through special recommendations, or because the agency scouts sought them out...but us?" he shook his head. "We were born into this."

"How were you born into it?" Sasuke asked.

Naruto smiled slightly. "Well...it's the classic story. My parents were agents. They met, they fell in love, they got funky with the mattress dancing and then I popped out, all sunshine and rainbows and umbilical cords, and then I was raised to be an agent by Jiraiya."

Sasuke frowned at his tale. "..Where're your parents?" he asked slowly and watched as Naruto's face sobered slightly. He quirked a smile but Sasuke knew it was a front.

"...They went on an important mission when I was six...and never managed to come home," he said softly. Sasuke stopped dead, looking at Naruto with wide eyes. The blond was solemn before he shook himself and gave a small, but sincere smile. "It was a long time ago, and I have gotten over it. But remembering it is never pleasant, right?"

Sasuke nodded slowly and then, without thinking, reached out and grasped Naruto's hand tightly. Blue eyes looked at him in surprise before Naruto's smile widened and he gripped back tightly as they continued on their way.

"Hn...Well, you pretty much know how I got into it," Sasuke said and Naruto squeezed his hand again.

"Yeah. Similar story, sadder ending," he agreed. Sasuke shook his head.

"There's no such thing as a sadder ending. Both of them were tragic, just in different senses," he lowered his gaze. "At least I got to say a proper goodbye."

Naruto chuckled lowly. "I guess...Jiraiya told me that my folks were ambushed and that, despite giving the fight their all, they just didn't make it out in time. Still...he only told me that when I lost my temper and put a gun to his head at fifteen," he admitted.

Sasuke blinked at him for a minute before he threw his head back and laughed loudly. Taken by surprise from the sudden act, Naruto faltered in his steps.

"W-what the hell?" he said, feeling his own laughter bubbling up in his throat in response. "What's so funny?"

Sasuke reigned himself in, unable to believe he'd actually laughed during such a sombre moment. But the image of a miniature, adolescent, acne toting, teenage Naruto pressing a pistol to Jiraiya's bushy head was somehow absolutely hilarious. It may have been the fact that his mental image was exaggerated enough for the 'teenage' Naruto to be standing on Jiraiya's chest, gripping the front of his shirt to maintain his vertical position as he threatened the man through braces and a cracking voice.

When Naruto continued to look at him expectantly, he relayed his imagery and soon Naruto was roaring with laughter himself, scaring away many of the people walking on the sidewalk outside Sasuke's apartment. He wondered when they had arrived.

"That is a highly insulting image, bastard!" Naruto said, though his voice was thick with amusement. They pushed through the doors into the lobby and were greeted by Stone crouching on the floor with a fly swatter and a can of bug spray.

"Where are you, you little shit?" the man was mumbling, hat firmly in place as he crab-crawled across the floor in search of something.

"Well, this isn't something you see every day," Sasuke drawled, smirking when the man started in surprise and almost toppled backwards.

"Oh, hi there Sasuke. Sorry, but there's a bit of an infestation in the building!" Stone informed sheepishly. "I already called someone, but just beware you might run into some cockroaches on your way up."

"You mean like that one?" Naruto asked, pointing to the roach that was on the counter, its long feelers twitching in Stone's direction as the man jumped up.

"AHA! There you are!" he yelled before rushing forwards. With a loud war cry he dived forwards, hitting the spray button and coating the entire countertop with the greenish spray. With barely a second interval he began to slam the fly swatter over every inch of the counter, all the while growling viciously.

The two agents watched the man work with gaping faces and twitching eyes. Finally, when there was a regular pattern of fly swatter design amidst the green foam on the counter, Stone turned around and gave an eyeless grin.

"Anyway, have a good afternoon gentleman!" he said, saluting them before casually walking back around the counter to his spot, replacing the two items on the shelf behind him.

Sasuke snapped out of his concerned stupor and tugged Naruto's arm, leading him towards the elevator. As they rode up, Naruto finally seemed to gather his thoughts.

"Your landlord is weird."

"He's not my landlord. He's just the stand-in."

"Your stand-in landlord is weird."

"Agreed."

The doors slid open and the two made their way to Sasuke's door, hands interlocking again without either of them noticing. It was only when the Uchiha pulled his hand away to open his door that they registered the move and both of them shared a look before turning away, laughing awkwardly. The giddiness was shared.

***~ADB~***

* * *

><p>The couch was a comfortable place as they both rested on its cushiony exterior, the TV turned on and playing the role of background noise as they ate sandwiches.<p>

"So...what do you think?" Naruto finally asked, wiping crumbs away from his mouth. Sasuke looked up, twitching his eyebrow to indicate his question and Naruto swallowed. "About the end of the mission."

Sasuke's cheeks bulged slightly as he stopped chewing, letting the bulk of his last bite rest against his flesh. Naruto resisted the urge to compare him to a budgie with a Mohawk, knowing the raven would not find it nearly as amusing as he did. It took a few seconds for Sasuke to sort through his thoughts before he resumed chewing and then swallowed heavily.

"...I don't know. It will be...unfortunate," he was picking his words carefully, Naruto noted; a clear sign that he was uncomfortable, but determined to clear this away somehow. "All I know is...I don't...want the end of the mission to mean the end of...of this," he waved his hand between them weakly, unsure of how to label them.

Naruto's brows furrowed slightly. "You think that the end of the mission might result with us breaking up?" he asked and Sasuke snapped his fingers, nodding.

"Yes."

"Why would we break up?"

"Well, considering the fact that the time we would get to spend together would lessen substantially, there's the chance that things would become unsettled, unbalanced and unstable and result with us falling apart," he said. Naruto's brows furrowed further. Sasuke was speaking as if this were an equation of some sort. Or a mission's pros and cons. He was slipping out of the relaxed-at-home-Sasuke and sliding into job-mind-only-Sasuke.

"How would we become unsettled? We both know that missions take up time, and yes there is always a chance that something could go wrong on a mission that would incapacitate us for an extended period of time, but I highly doubt that an actual erosion of our relationship would occur," he said. He was matching up to Sasuke's level, speaking to him in the same tone as he was being spoken to. He needed to get Sasuke back into a comfortable frame of mind if he wanted to be able to hear the raven's actual thoughts and feelings on the matter. Damn Uchiha and his emotional-repression tendencies.

"The time apart could become unsynchronized, and soon we'd not be seeing anything of each other for so long that when we do finally catch a moment to be together for a time longer than an average phone-call, we may not be able to communicate properly due to changes that have occurred in our lives from the missions we've carried out. We might come across an imbalance—"

"Okay, cut the crap Uchiha!" Naruto said, slicing his hand through the air as his voice dripped with irritation. "Just tell me straight, what do you think?"

Sasuke winced slightly, having been caught out on his work-tone ramble to try and avoid getting into the emotion side. He turned his gaze away, trying not to think of the ache in his chest as he thought of not being able to see Naruto quite as often. It hurt, thinking that Naruto could be somewhere far away, in serious danger and Sasuke could do jack shit about it. Naruto could lose an arm or a leg or get blown into little itty bitty Naru-bits, and Sasuke would only know when the Chief called him to announce the time of the funeral 'in case he wanted to attend'. He didn't like the fact that his attachment to the blond had grown so much over the time they became an item, but he couldn't deny that he had strong feelings for the person sitting across from him...

Who was now glaring at him with a childish pout on his lips because he'd been quiet for so long.

"Dammit, am I going to have to hook you up to a lie detector or something—"

"I don't want to lose you!" Sasuke snapped hysterically before shoving his hand over his mouth, mortified at his outburst. Naruto was properly derailed, his eyes wide as he stared at Sasuke's reddening face.

"...Lose me?" he repeated and Sasuke's eyes shot up to the ceiling, a silent prayer to any merciful God out there to smite him where he sat, sandwich and all.

"Why would you lose—Oh! Oooh," Naruto leant back with realization. They stared at each other for a moment, Sasuke still mentally berating himself for losing his cool and shouting that out. It was bad enough he got sentimental at all around Naruto, but now he was just pushing things. Finally, after a long and painful silence, Naruto smirked. "Aw, that's so adorable. Sasuke's worried about me."

Sasuke stood up abruptly, his sandwich sliding onto the couch. He had finally removed his hand and gave a short, curt bow to Naruto before turning. "Excuse me while I go hang myself in the bathroom with dental floss."

Naruto laughed as he jumped off the couch, grabbing Sasuke's arm and tugging him back. "Don't be like that!" he chided with a smile as Sasuke tried to pull away. Before he could Naruto leant over and nuzzled his cheek. "I'm happy that you worry about me."

Sasuke blinked before looking at the wall, feeling his face heat up.

'_Okay, this has gone from cute to downright chick-flick material,_' Mochi supplied, twirling his hair. '_Ooh! Maybe now is the perfect time to admit you're in love with him!_'

Sasuke reeled back at that, almost smacking Naruto's face in the process.

'_Whoa, whoa! Hold up! Love? _Love_? Do you hear yourself?_' he thought frantically, ignoring the bewildered looks Naruto was sending him for his strange movements.

Mochi snorted loudly in his head. '_Oh great, we're back to canoeing down the river of denial. Grab your pride, Sasuke, because sooner or later the rug under your feet is going to be swept up and used to wrap you and your blond up in a steamy session of hot, manly—'_

Sasuke covered his ears. "Don't say it!"

Naruto backed away. "Don't say what?" he asked, questioning Sasuke's sanity. The raven always did seem to have a few screws loose. Had he finally cracked?

Sasuke flinched, quickly straightening up. "Nothing! Never mind," he said quickly, shifting on his feet.

Naruto tilted his head in question, but shrugged and let it go. He walked over to Sasuke and let his arms drape over his shoulders. With a slow move, he kissed the pale man gently, parting the pliant lips with his tongue to explore the now familiar territory. Sasuke reciprocated the kiss, wrapping his arms around Naruto's waist and enjoying the feeling that still made him shudder in anxious acceptance.

They parted, breathing each other's air and looking right into each other's eyes. Naruto noted that Sasuke's eyes were extremely vulnerable suddenly. The black depths were shimmering and appeared to be haunted.

"...I don't want to lose you," Sasuke said again, whispering the words. "...Like I lost them."

Naruto's eyes narrowed in confusion for a split second before he understood, and he quickly moved forward for another kiss, letting Sasuke take control. The bruising press of their soft flesh together and the intimate dance of their tongues left his heart beating a mile a minute when they parted and he took a moment to catch his breath before speaking.

"You won't lose me. I promise," he whispered back before grinning widely and backing up enough to give Sasuke a thumb up. "And Naruto Uzumaki never breaks a promise!" he declared loudly.

Sasuke stared at him for a long moment before he lunged forward, catching Naruto into a brutal lip-lock while he manoeuvred them backwards down the hall towards his bedroom. Their steps were clumsy and their grunts were loud as they made their way down the hall. Sasuke miscalculated at one point, pushing too hard and forcing Naruto against the wall. Not at all unhappy with this new event, he plundered the blond's mouth while his hands roamed under his shirt, feeling the toned stomach quiver and the heavy breaths being suppressed. When Naruto pushed back, he forced them through the door and into Sasuke's bedroom, groaning when sensitive areas connected in their frantic frenzy of lips and hands. Naruto tumbled onto his back, hitting the soft bed sheets as Sasuke quickly took residence above him like a dark angel capturing its prey. He barely let the blond breathe while his hands began their mission to rid the two of them of the offending things called clothes.

As they crawled further up on the bed, skin meeting in the most deliciously sinful ways, Sasuke couldn't help but think that maybe...just maybe...

Mochi had a point.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>Ah, man-love... :') T'is a thing of mocking beauty sometimes.<strong>

**If anyone's confused as to what the boys are doing...they're matress dancing. :3 ... _Erotic_ matress dancing.** ***waggles eyebrows***

**Once again, thank you for all the lovely reviews and well wishes. They really brightened my days!**

**Leave a review with your thoughts on the chapter! See you next time~!**

**(To anyone confused about the beginning with the twins...The Leader and Ryoumen all that it was Kamari...but it wasn't. Stress on the words 'twins'! B] )  
><strong>


	19. Into Hell

***drags self in and slumps down lifelessly***

**H-hello everyone... *zones out briefly* ... *sigh* Sorry everyone, but I'm having a lot of trouble focusing...**

**I stayed up late last night trying to finish this chapter...I managed to get it done, but I'd just like to give you all a heads up that I might not be able to update on time next week. Of course I'll try my hardest to be on time, but don't be confused if I don't update on Friday...**

**It's hard for me to do much of anything right now. My sister left on Tuesday to go back to S.A to sort out some stuff...she's gonna be gone for two months. I know it's not really all that long but we're really close...I only realized how much when she left, actually. *gloomy* Now I'm stuck alone with my mother, and we're not exactly on the best of terms anymore... *uses arms as pillow* Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter... Things will be more action packed for the next chapters, but this one still has action and, for all the fangirls, plenty of fluff and SasuNaru moments...**

***looks around blankly* ...Oh yeah...I remember a few of you asking about a sequel... I did come up with an idea that could be used for a sequel...but I think I'll wait and see how this story ends... I could always use the sequel idea as a different story, but for now we'll wait and see...**

**Warnings: some language, mentions of boyxboy activities and shounen-ai-ness, violence and blood I suppose.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or my soul, it seems...**

**Please forgive any mistakes, mispellings or bad grammar...I was partly delirious when I finished it at like 3:00 am...  
><strong>

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sunlight shone through the open curtains, gliding across the room and hitting the bed to reveal two pairs of legs tangled together, covered lightly by the sheets that seemed to have been through a whirlwind. Tan and pale skin melded together as the occupants sighed in their sleep, shifting slightly but never untangling the complex hold of their limbs.<p>

Naruto's eyes fluttered lightly as his dreams took on a different turn that he would forget upon waking but found enjoyable nonetheless. His breaths fanned out over Sasuke's face, causing the strands of his bangs to flutter under each exhale while his lips smacked together subconsciously.

Suddenly pale eyelids pulled back and Sasuke was reintroduced to the world, drawn from sleep by unknown sources. He grunted slightly, turning his head and yawning widely. Feeling flesh under his hands, he looked down again and smiled when he realized that Naruto was practically under him, head resting on the pillow while his body was twisted at a slightly awkward angle to ensure that his legs remained locked with Sasuke's. The raven leant on one of his elbows, using his other hand to lazily trace over Naruto's jaw-line and down his neck.

'_There's a chance we might die today,_' his traitorous mind reminded him, and his smile faded into a concerned frown. Even with the virus, Naruto was vulnerable. The enemy would have the virus too, and it was recently that Naruto had had his backside tickled with Death's feather duster after his encounter with Kakuzu. If he went up against a whole group of people with the virus, he'd be just as normal as the rest of them. What if he had gotten sloppy due to always having the incredible strength the virus provided? It was a high possibility. Anyone who had gotten so good at defeating one level of a game would lose their confidence when entering the harder levels due to the sudden change. Where you were once a master, you were now a mere apprentice trying to make up for your bold charging with hasty retreats.

His hand travelled down, resting over Naruto's heart.

He didn't want the blond to die. He didn't want Naruto to be taken away from him like his mother and father had. In the amount of time he'd gotten to know the blond, he had become so attached. Naruto was his partner, his friend, his rival and his lover. Despite how it still made him feel awkward to admit that last one, it was the truth. Naruto had become extremely important to him. If he were to suddenly die...Sasuke didn't know if he could take another blow like that. Losing his family had pushed him to the brink as it was. Losing Naruto may just be the point he needed to crack and slide off the ledge into the abyss.

"Should I fear for my beating heart?"

He jerked in surprise at Naruto's gruff morning voice and looked down, noticing his fingers had begun to curl and his nails had started to sink into the tan flesh over Naruto's heart.

Quickly loosening his grip, he wiped his fingers over the crescent markings in apology.

"Sorry," he mumbled. Tan fingers carded through his hair and then slid to the back of his neck, rubbing slightly.

"It's okay. I've got another heart stashed away in your freezer for emergencies," Naruto grinned and Sasuke smirked, pinching his chest in retort for the joke. "What's up? You were giving me such a kicked puppy look just now."

Sasuke growled at the comparison, clawing at Naruto's skin again. His response was only an amused laugh before Naruto was sitting up, bringing him with as he was still lying atop him.

"So anyway," Naruto began with a lecherous grin, "Last night was awesome, thank you."

Sasuke smirked, leaning back. "Define awesome," he said, eyes twinkling with smug humour while Naruto gave him a look which clearly stated his displeasure at the turn.

"You're an ass."

"That may be so, but it's not _my_ ass that we're discussing now is it?" Sasuke snickered when Naruto face-palmed after walking into that one. "So, how is that ass of yours?"

"It's fine, thanks to the virus," the blond said, sighing and lying back down after crossing his arms behind his head. "And to define awesome, I'd have to say that it started around the time the headboard creaked and my voice lost its deeper edge," he grinned.

Sasuke's smirk was threatening to slice his jaw in half. He peered at the wall by the headboard and gave it a forlorn look.

"I'm going to have to fix those cracks somehow," he muttered, earning a bark of laughter from Naruto.

"It's not my fault! You were the one who went into overdrive halfway through!" he said, waggling his eyebrows at the raven. Sasuke raised one of his own, his smirk back in place.

"You weren't complaining at all. In fact, I recall several loud utters of 'faster' and 'dear God' coming from your mouth. I had no idea you were so religous! And let's not forget that moment when you screamed—" Naruto's hand clapped over his mouth and Sasuke's eyes shone with unabashed humour and triumph. Red dusted Naruto's whiskered cheeks as he gave a growl.

"I get it, I get it, you're a hero in the bedroom," he drawled embarrassedly. "Say, what time is it? When do we need to report in?"

Sasuke's humour fell away immediately as he glanced at his bedside.

'_Oh yeah...Naruto broke my alarm. Damn, I need to get a new one sometime,_' he thought, crawling across the bed to grab at his phone. Flipping it open, he checked the time and mentally cursed when he saw that they only had two more hours. Though it seemed like a long time, Sasuke wanted it to be longer. Two hours with Naruto before they both went off into a fight that could very well be their last.

Two hours felt like two seconds.

Naruto peered over his shoulder, seeing the time and the way Sasuke was so tense. He guessed they had to report in rather soon. He could admit that he was nervous. Since his encounter with Kakuzu, he was no longer as confident as he'd become since getting the virus. When they went in he was positive that all the enemies would be juiced up to match him. He was already nervous about himself...He didn't even want to think about how Sasuke and the others would survive. He trusted the Chief had taken that into account and made plans, though what those plans were was still unclear.

"We've still got time," Sasuke said eventually, turning back over and resting on his elbow. "So we can relax a bit."

Naruto nodded, leaning back against the headboard. He felt indents and internally laughed like a pervert as he remembered just how those fingernail indents had gotten there. Sasuke was staring at him and he hoped he hadn't accidentally laughed out loud.

"What should we do in the meantime?" he asked by way of distraction and Sasuke's lips twitched into a smirk. Naruto cut him off before he could start. "Aside from erotic mattress dancing."

Sasuke's pout was adorable, not that Naruto was suicidal enough to tell him that.

"We can go out to eat, I suppose," Sasuke said at length, gazing out at his room with a thoughtful spark in his eye. "Then we could...I don't know, go bowling or something," he waved his hand to show that he didn't know what they could do and was just randomly suggesting. Naruto smiled, a deep laugh bubbling in his throat at the thought of Sasuke bowling. Then again, Sasuke was probably lethal with a bowling ball. For all he knew, the raven would be able to get a strike in every single lane...at the same time.

"Or maybe we could catch a movie?" he offered. Sasuke's face darkened.

"...We don't have that much time," he mumbled and Naruto nodded.

"Two hours tops then?"

"Yes."

Leaning his head back and staring at the ceiling, he tried to think of something else they could do. Eventually, he shrugged. "Breakfast, then a walk, and then we see what happens!" he said, grinning wide at Sasuke. "Somehow, even if we don't do much, if it's the two of us, I can picture it getting pretty eventful!"

Sasuke stared at him before a slow smirk spread over his face. "Hn. Agreed."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>"Welcome to the Hunter cafe, may I take your order?"<p>

The petite waitress held her notepad up, her large eyes eagerly taking in the two gorgeous men sitting at the table. She couldn't believe how lucky she was that they chose to sit at her table. Her friend Gina was going to be so jealous! She almost laughed at the thought. While the hotties glanced over the menu, she peered over her shoulder. Sure enough, her co-workers and Gina were all staring over at her. Gina was glaring at her and she stuck her tongue out tauntingly.

'_Ha ha! I've got the hot guys this time!_' she thought triumphantly.

"Ah, I'd like an espresso, and one order of the breakfast special, please!" the blond said cheerfully and she happily wrote it down before turning her attention to the raven haired man. He was a thing of beauty for sure. The blond was a strong, tanned, golden haired Adonis that looked like he belonged on a surfboard out in the sea with a black lip ring and a fang necklace resting on his sculpted chest. The raven, however, was like a legendary creature of the night. He was pale, his skin seeming the type that would glow in the moonlight. His hair was dark and styled so strangely, and his eyes were so dark she felt she could get swallowed whole if she made direct eye contact. It wouldn't surprise her if he opened his mouth and revealed a set of fangs. Hell, she was half expecting him to order a glass of fresh blood and maybe a slice of her heart on a silver platter!

"Hn. I'll have a black coffee and a toasted cheese and tomato sandwich. With extra tomato."

...Or he would order regular food.

She wrote down his order, giving them both a flustered smile and assuring them she would be out with their drinks soon and then their meals. She turned and hurried to the back, meeting Gina's angry hissing with a smug grin and much a brag to counter with.

Back at the table, Naruto and Sasuke watched their waitress gloat to her friends. Naruto found it highly amusing while Sasuke just rolled his eyes and leant back in his seat.

"It's like we're movie stars or something!" Naruto chuckled, turning to face his counterpart and resting an arm on the table. "You'd think they had never seen attractive males before."

Sasuke smirked. "Admitting I'm attractive?" he teased and Naruto nodded seriously.

"Yes, you are attractive!" he said before his face broke into a grin. "But I'm better than attractive. I'm gorgeous!"

Sasuke snorted, shaking his head. "You're ego amazes me," he said.

"Apparently, so does my flexibility," Naruto quipped, and then burst into laughter at the red flush that stole over Sasuke's face at the memories that brought on. Sasuke coughed into his hand, trying to push down the thoughts of the flexibility Naruto was talking about.

'_Flexibility...How did he bend that way? It was incredi-NO! Stop it right now before you embarrass yourself!_' he thought, giving himself a mental slap across the face to chase away the bad-but so very _good_- thoughts of last night.

Naruto only managed to stop laughing when the waitress returned with their drinks. She smiled brightly at him and he returned the gesture as she placed his espresso before him. Sasuke gave a curt nod as his thanks, taking the coffee from her and having a small sip. His lips turned up into a small smile at the taste and he made a mental note of the cafe name, knowing to come again for coffee.

"I'll be right back with your meals!" she chirped and spun around, almost skipping back to the kitchen. Just before she was completely out of earshot, they both heard her squealing to her friends. "They both smiled at me! They _smiled_!"

Sasuke shook his head and stared straight at Naruto. "Don't sneeze; she might post a video of it on YouTube," he said seriously. Naruto laughed, nodding his head.

"Yeah, right after she updates her Twitter about it," he added and they both snickered to themselves.

"Maybe she'll post a picture on Tumblr too," Sasuke tacked on.

"And Facebook. She might create an entire photo album, depicting my sneeze from every different angle as well as the napkin I used afterwards," Naruto agreed. He paused, looking thoughtfully at his foamy drink. "...Are we horrible people for making fun of a girl we don't even know?" he asked.

Sasuke shook his head. "No, only if we do it to her face."

"How is that different?"

"Her friends on MySpace will inform her of our insulting behaviour later when she blogs about it," Sasuke's smirk was lethal. Naruto shook his head, grinning widely.

"We are a pair of bastards. I blame you; I used to be a nice guy!" he stuck out his lower lip in a mock pout. Sasuke gave him a look of innocent curiosity.

"Was that before or after you trapped my suit jacket in an elevator door and salted my coffee?"

Naruto's laughter at the reminder threatened to make him fall to the floor and convulse violently. The waitress returned, bearing two plates of food which she happily set down before them. Wiping her hands on her apron, she fixed them both with a huge smile.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" she asked sweetly.

"No, we're good. Thank you," Sasuke said, peering at her name tag, "Tiffany."

He feared for her lips with how wide that smile was stretching. He half expected the corners to start tearing to make room for more.

"It's no trouble at all!" she said excitedly. "Just let me know if you need anything else!" with that she scurried away, vanishing into the kitchen. Seconds later, loud screeches of excitement echoed ominously through the thick doors.

Naruto's eyebrows were brushing his hairline. "...Don't say her name a second time; she might start foaming at the mouth and have a happy-fan-girl-aneurism."

This time, Sasuke's laughter was loudest.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>After their meal they started their walk around the area, talking idly about things that happened to them in the past during previous missions and their agency training. The sounds of the city in the morning created a pleasant background buzz to their chatter as they walked down a path that led through a market place. Amidst the colourful stands that boasted various trinkets and items of various value and use, they discreetly held hands, feeling like two young teenagers at a crowded mall trying to avoid attention while fighting the giddy feelings that came with a new relationship.<p>

"Oh, and one time when I was eighteen, I was sent on a mission with this real jerk. He was so annoying and had absolutely no social skills! You know what he said to me during our first meeting?" Naruto asked as he bent down to examine a display of gaudy jewellery.

"What did he say?" Sasuke asked, smirking as he watched the blond pick out a particularly hideous piece.

"He said 'I've never worked with a dickless person before. How do you pee?'" he recited, turning to Sasuke and nodding at his incredulous look. "Yeah, I know right? Who says that?"

Sasuke nodded in agreement, and furrowed his brows when Naruto slid the ugly necklace around his neck. "What are you doing?"

Naruto fluttered his eyelashes. "What?" he turned his body to the side slightly and pulled a pouty face. "Don't I look like Paris Hilton?" he asked, flicking his hair.

Sasuke shook his head, his shoulders trembling with silent snickers. Naruto just grinned and removed the piece of jewellery, placing it back on the stand and waving to the woman before they moved on.

"So anyway, I'm stuck with this jerk for a pretty long mission and he doesn't get any nicer!" Naruto continued, sliding his hand into Sasuke's and lacing their fingers. "But we managed to complete it successfully and he turns around and says 'Not bad for a dickless guy!' I punched him straight across the room!"

Sasuke smirked at the thought. "Who is this guy anyway?" he asked as they turned down a path leading away from the market and into the shady park it rested behind.

Naruto made a hesitant sound. "I can't really tell you his full name," he said and Sasuke frowned.

"Why not?"

"Company policy. He works with the special unit branch now," Naruto leant over and conspiratorally whispered in his ear. "He's a double agent!"

Sasuke nodded in understanding. "Okay, so what's his '_name'_?" he asked.

"Sai. Just Sai. Actually no one has used his real name for ages. We all just got used to calling him Sai whenever we see him now," Naruto mumbled, shrugging slightly. They walked further before he halted and snapped his fingers, a look of realization on his face. "Oh! Now I know why I didn't like you when I first saw you!" he said loudly.

Sasuke scowled and yanked his hand back, making Naruto laugh at his childish behaviour.

"And why is that?" Sasuke grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets when Naruto tried to re-grab them. The tanned man was not deterred in the slightest; he just looped his arm with Sasuke's.

"Because you and Sai actually look kind of similar! He's just a lot paler since he hardly goes out during the day. And his hair's shorter. Well, it was the last time I saw him. For all I know he has a goatee and a top knot now," Naruto said, waving his free hand flippantly. Sasuke grunted, leading them down another turn-off. They were met with the sight of a small fair that had been set up. Games and small rides were in full swing and a large crowd had already gathered up. Children were running rampant, laughing and cheering loudly while young couples and parents wandered around, chatting and enjoying themselves.

The two agents stood at the entrance, looking around in curiosity.

"...I've never been to one of these before," Naruto said suddenly, tilting his head. Sasuke turned to him with wide eyes.

"You've never been to a fair? Or a carnival?" he asked and was stunned when Naruto shook his head.

"Never had time. Even though I didn't start agent training until I was into my teens, Jiraiya was always busy so he never had time to take me out. Tsunade was too, so it's not like she could ever take me to a fair. I was usually at my little apartment, eating ramen and watching crappy cartoon shows," Naruto said, a hint of sad nostalgia seeping into his voice.

Sasuke turned back to the fair, clearly remembering the times his mother and father had brought him and his older brother to various carnivals and fairs. His greatest memory was of a small little fair just like this one.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><em>Seven year old Sasuke grinned brightly as he stood next to the duck-shooting game. His mom and dad stood behind him, smiling at his enthusiastic aura. <em>

"_What are you going to try and win, Sasuke?" his mother asked in that sweet tone of hers as she rested her hands on his shoulder. He pointed towards the large stuffed bear hanging at the top._

"_I'm gonna win that one!" he announced. His father laughed slightly._

"_To win that, you need to shoot five ducks," he reminded and Sasuke nodded, becoming serious as he stood up to the counter while his father paid the vendor. He was given an air rifle and held the fake-weapon with a childish reverence. Loading it up with the small pellets, he took aim and waited for the line to start._

_The little ducks soon began to move and Sasuke closed on eye, being patient. He shot and hit a duck smack in the middle. He didn't stop to grin or cheer at his first success, breathing in and taking another shot. He hit the next three ducks easily and had only one left. He knew his mom and dad were watching and felt his blood boil with excitement. If he got this shot, they'd be so proud of him!_

_Lining it up, he took a breath and fired._

_The pellet hit the duck, but the yellow bird didn't go down, only tilting slightly. Sasuke's arms dropped, his mouth open wide in disappointment as the man behind the counter let out a whistle._

"_So close kid! Well, you got second place! You can choose anything from the second shelf here!" he said, motioning to the array of toys and trinkets. Sasuke was so disappointed that he hadn't gotten first, but gloomily pointed to a toy snake. The man snatched it off the shelf and gave it to him, and Sasuke offered a polite smile and a thank you like his mother taught him. He climbed down, holding the toy and wandered back to his parents._

"_You did very well Sasuke!" his mother said, stroking his head. "Better luck next time, sweetie."_

"_That was a bit unfair though," his father said gruffly. "That duck was wearing invisible armour."_

_Sasuke smiled at their attempts to cheer him up. He did feel better, knowing that they weren't disappointed with him. But he still wished he could've gotten the bear. He had wanted to give it to his older brother as a surprise to show how good he'd done._

"_...Hey Sasuke, I have an idea," his mother said suddenly, bending down. He looked into her kind, rounded face attentively. "You give me a kiss for good luck, and I'll use it to win that bear in your honour!" she said, tweaking his nose. He looked up at her with wide eyes._

"_Will my good luck kiss work?" he asked and for a second his parents shared a glance before they both smiled. His mother gave him a loving peck on his forehead._

"_Good luck kisses always work," she murmured._

_Sasuke nodded and stood on his tip toes. "Then here's my good luck kiss!" he declared and kissed her forehead too with a resounding smack. His mother's tinkling laugh was melodious as she stood up and walked over to the stand, handing her coins to the man. Sasuke stood to watch her and his father stood behind him, resting his large hands on his sons shoulders._

_His mother picked up the air rifle and Sasuke wondered why she looked so strange. Her eyes closed briefly as she took a deep breath, and suddenly she loaded the rifle with such speedy movements he was amazed she didn't drop any of the pellets. With quick and efficient jerks, she snapped the rifle back to place and held it up, keeping both eyes open. The conveyer belt started to move and there was but a quick intake of breath before she shot five times in a row, taking out a single line of ducks with absolutely no hesitation._

_Five ducks were down._

_The man behind the counter handed her the stuffed bear with a look of awe on his face. She smiled and thanked him before walking over to her family, grinning and holding the stuffed toy out for Sasuke. He took it, his face matching the vendor's._

"_T-that was...so cool!" he said excitedly, nearly bursting in place. "How did you do that?"_

_His mother smiled as she took his hand and led him away, his father right beside her. The two adults shared a knowing smile before she spoke. "It was your good luck kiss, sweetie. Like I said, it always works!"_

__**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke was snapped out of his little walk down memory lane by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Naruto peering at him curiously and quickly covered his momentary lapse in concentration by smirking.<p>

He reached up, taking Naruto's hand and holding it tightly. "Come on, moron. You should at least get to experience a fair before we head out to our mission," he said, leading Naruto down the path and towards the stands.

Naruto quickly became excited and Sasuke felt like he was with a hyperactive child. He was dragged to each and every stand just to get a good look at what was happening. Though Naruto hardly participated in the games, he found watching the people around them enjoy the fun just as fulfilling. It was like catching up on the normal things he'd missed.

Sasuke was watching a teenage couple giggle madly as they rushed to the dodgem cars, and wondered how much damage he could do to Naruto if he challenged him to a round when a stand caught his eyes. In the corner was a duck-shooting range. In a brief moment, past and present blended together and his surroundings changed to the fair that he had attended when he was seven.

He could almost see his childish self standing at the range, shooting each duck with careful timing and precision before the memory faded and he was watching a chubby little boy trying valiantly to sink his first duck while his parents stood behind him, cheering encouragement.

Naruto turned, about to comment on the pushy vendor at the stand they were currently besides when he noticed what Sasuke was staring at. Raising a brow at the faraway look on the raven's face, he studied the duck-shooting stand with interest. The family that was there were now leaving, the child clutching a little toy car that came from the bottom shelf. But Sasuke wasn't focused on the family. He was focused on the stand itself.

'_It must mean something to him. Probably his favourite game or something when he was younger,_' Naruto thought and then snickered to himself. '_Agent Duck-Butt loves to shoot ducks? Oh the irony!_'

"Come on, Duck-Butt!" he cheered, clapping Sasuke on the back and dragging him towards the stand. "Let's go play some duck-shooter!"

Sasuke jolted out of his memories as they drew nearer to the stand and silently he watched as Naruto paid for a go. The blond stepped aside and swept his arm out.

"Go ahead, Sasuke! Relive your childhood!" he said sweetly. Sasuke stared at him for a minute before smirking. He grabbed Naruto's wrist and moved his hand onto the rifle, securing the grip with his long fingers.

"Hn. That's alright. Instead," he fixed Naruto with a sharp, unreadable gaze, "...You start living yours."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly before a huge grin broke out on his face and he snatched up the rifle with confidence.

"Alright then! I'll get the first prize for sure!" he said. Just as he was about to start loading up the bullets, Sasuke grabbed his other hand and brought it up to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to the tan skin of Naruto's knuckles, keeping his eyes on the confused blue irises watching him. He pulled back, smirking as usual.

"What was that for?" Naruto asked quietly, feeling a little embarrassed by the strange show of affection, but not at all opposed to it. He only hoped no one around them would make any sort of fuss. Luckily the vendor had been sorting out the prizes.

"Hn," Sasuke's smirk melted into a smile. "It's a good luck kiss. Can't have you shooting yourself in the foot now can we?" he teased, stepping back to watch the show.

Naruto let out a mocking 'ha ha ha' as he loaded up the gun and clicked it back into place.

"You're such a romantic," he drawled, holding up the rifle and waiting for the ducks to start moving. "I'm going to name all of these ducks Sasuke Junior!" he declared.

The belt started moving and Sasuke crossed his arms, smiling as he watched Naruto take out the ducks in a random order. He didn't mow them down, nor did he set a pace. He just shot randomly, but not once did he miss a target. Five ducks were down and he grinned, spinning the rifle in his hands and resting it against his shoulder.

The vendor clapped, laughing at his victory while Sasuke rolled his eyes and mouthed 'show-off'. Naruto just shrugged and reached out to accept the big, fluffy monkey toy that was for first prize. He waved a cheery thank you to the vendor before walking up to Sasuke and shaking the toy in his face.

"Does Sasuke want a monkey-hug?" he cooed, laughing when Sasuke batted the item away and scowled at him.

"You're a monkey," the raven muttered and Naruto grinned.

"Oh, burn. I think my heart is going to burst at that one," he teased, sticking his tongue out at the lame comeback. Sasuke shook his head, kicking out his heel and making Naruto trip up. The blond managed to catch himself before he could fall into a goldfish-catching stand, and he sent an angry glare over at the raven who was calmly walking away like nothing had happened.

"Bastard!" Naruto growled, jumping over to him and smacking him over the head with the fluffy monkey.

Sasuke just smirked. And then winced and rubbed the bump on his head.

'_Stupid monkey._'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The cold night air brushed against his cheeks, making him shiver slightly at the gentle caress. Sounds of cars driving in the distance could be heard, as well as a call from a few night birds fluttering overhead. The muffled din of the city area was like the comforting hum of an aquarium at night; relaxing and soothing to hear. The darkened sky was littered with scattered stars above, twinkling weakly against the velvet backdrop, but they were hard to spot amidst the glittering lights of the city and all the smog that came with it.<p>

Another shiver passed through his body as a breeze flew through the streets, ruffling his golden hair and sinking through his clothes. The muted steps of agents moving into position matched the steady beat of his heart as whispered commands were issued and the microphone and speaker he wore crackled slightly every time a new order was sent out.

"_This is Agent Sharingan reporting. My team is in position."_

Blue eyes fluttered slightly at the voice and a gloved hand reached up to click the receiver. "This is Agent Kyuubi. My team is almost in position," he reported. He clicked off, looking over his shoulder at his small team as they exited the black van parked on the side of the road.

Konohamaru was behind him, crouched and looking tense. Beside him was Lee Rock, looking strangely good in his full body black outfit. It was much different than the hideous green he was wearing before. He was relaxed and calm, but the sharpness of his eyes declared his alerted nature. Just behind him was a young woman Naruto had seen around briefly. She was small, her long black hair tied back into a tight plait. Her eyes were large and lavender, and she could be mistaken for a blind woman but Naruto was assured she was one of the sharpest female agents known. She was Hinata Hyuuga, aka Agent Jyuuken. She was Agent Byakugan, aka Neji Hyuuga's younger cousin, according to Sasuke.

The blond made a small wave of his hand, receiving nods from the three behind him. Silently, like shadows, they slid from their current spot and rushed across the empty street to the building opposite them. They slid up into the crevices right by the front entrance, pressing themselves into the shadows and taking deep breaths.

Naruto reached up and clicked on his microphone.

"This is Agent Kyuubi. My team is in position," he informed, clicking off. There was static for a second, making his body tense with anxiety before it cleared.

"_Roger that. Both teams are in position. You shall enter on my mark,_" Kakashi's voice said in his ear and Naruto inhaled through his nose, letting his eyes close briefly to prepare himself for the oncoming mission.

It was one of the more basic plans actually. Both his and Sasuke's teams, who were the best in combat according to statistics, were going to go in through the front. Depending on the response of the guards of the building, they would either become the diversion, or if they were lucky, they would clear the way for the other teams.

If they were the diversion, the other teams would go in through the back entrances and work their way through the building, following the schematics that Orochimaru had provided courtesy of his spy, Kabuto.

It was a wipe-out mission. Either capture, or kill. There was no room for escape. While they were hoping to capture the leaders of the organization, for interrogation to find any possible apprentices that could pose a threat in future, they had been ordered to kill if the first option wasn't possible.

Sasuke crouched in his place, peering down from the rafters into the large lobby below. His team, consisting of Neji and Anko Mitarashi, were all scattered throughout the hall in the rafters and higher places, hidden well by shadows and perspective. They had climbed to the low roof and slid in after cutting out an opening in the glass awning, becoming the dangerous hawks lurking in the skies and waiting for their prey to be revealed.

Sasuke heard Kakashi tell them to prepare themselves and he backed up a bit, reaching behind him to grab the long sniper attached to his back. Carefully, he unclipped it and brought it around, loading up the magazine and positioning himself. Through the scope, he could see each of the guards in clear range. He was half tempted to shoot them all now and erase all risk for Naruto and his team. But doing so would alert the people early. They were waiting for Kakashi's all clear, where they would have the most amount of time to clear the entrance with little disturbance from the rest of the building. They all knew it would be impossible to commence this attack without being discovered eventually, but they would try to get as far as possible without alerting the enemy.

"_Go!_"

Kakashi's sharp command almost made him jump, but Sasuke was too well trained for that. In that instance, Naruto and his crew burst through the front doors.

The closest guard spun around, shocked. Before he could utter a sound, a bullet slammed in his neck from above and he fell to the ground, twitching and bleeding out in seconds. The second guard, hearing the echoing snap of a sniper, looked up. A bullet went straight through his chest, coming from Naruto's raised gun as he ran forwards, taking the man's distraction as an advantage.

Sasuke saw the third guard rushing for the security desk, undoubtedly to trigger the alarms. He shifted and fired, landing a hit in the man's leg and making him fall to the ground with a scream of agony. A bullet from Neji's direction silenced his noise. Blood was starting to spread over the stone floors and Sasuke was glad that several agents were going to be position outside the lobby to keep any civilians away.

Naruto was glad that things were going so _smoothly_. Had they been slower, the guards would've been close enough to the desk to start the alarms. They wanted to avoid that for as long as possible. He led the way towards the elevators, turning left and right to check for enemies. He heard a shot and snapped his head to the side, seeing Hinata holding her gun high while a guard fell down the emergency staircase to the left, dead before he reached the final step. Hinata turned away, lowering her gun and staring at Naruto with a blank expression, waiting for orders. He marvelled at how cool she was, but his eyes noticed the slight tremble to her frame and the whiteness of her lips.

He pitied her. She was in a line of business where killing people was a part of the job description. But he could see how much it pained her to do so. That could be a potential setback, especially if the enemy managed to take advantage of that hesitance.

"Agent?"

Hinata's soft voice broke him out of his thoughts and he quickly shook his head, motioning for them to follow him. He headed to the elevator, pressing the button and then clicking on his radio.

"Entrance clear. Send in the teams. We'll be heading up first," he stopped when he heard the sound of feet landing lightly and turned lazy eyes to the lobby. Sasuke and his team were walking towards them, slinging their snipers onto their backs and looking, for all the world, utterly badass. "Agent Sharingan and his team will be with us. We'll clear the next floor."

"_Copy that. Chances are they'll have been alerted after that. If not, then there leader is getting slack. Be on the lookout for Kabuto as well. Orochimaru informed me that he is going to be looking for you to lead you to the leaders office,"_ Kakashi informed.

Naruto and Sasuke nodded as them and their teams crowded into the elevator. The doors slid shut with a hiss and they all took a moment to breathe.

"Alright, Sasuke and I will lead the way, followed up by Hinata and Konohamaru. Neji and Lee, you two will take the first branch off, and Anko, you stay near the elevator to wait for the rest of the teams," Naruto said quietly, turning to each of them in turn. For a moment, Neji looked ready to argue. But he swallowed any complaints at their leadership and nodded with the others. The elevator trilled, letting them know of their arrival to the first floor. Sasuke quickly motioned for everyone to get ready for the doors to open and be prepared for any kind of ambush.

The two of them drew their guns, standing ready to move and aiming at the doors. The others were crouched slightly, guns pointing to the floor while their eyes stayed trained.

"Konohamaru and Hinata will take the second branch off," Sasuke tacked on quietly.

"Yes sir," Hinata muttered and Konohamaru nodded.

The doors slid open.

A bullet slammed into the wall, inches from where Anko was standing and making her narrow her eyes. Sasuke reacted immediately, firing a shot at the shooter who was standing right there. He had just missed Sasuke with that shot, and the Uchiha did not like that at all.

The man fell backwards, blood and brains splattering the floor as he landed with a heavy thud and the agents darted out of the elevator.

"He was expecting us!" Naruto hissed, and footsteps could be heard coming their way. "Get ready, we're about to face some heat!"

Guards and thugs came running around the corner. The man in front noticed the agents and pointed even as he rushed ahead.

"There they are! Get them!" he yelled. Lee sprinted forwards before the others could make a move. He leapt into the air a few feet from the man, bringing his heel down in a powerful crushing hit. The man countered it with his arm and as Lee was flipping around and backwards, he pulled his gun around and fired a bullet into the man's stomach. The wet smack of a bullet breaking flesh met his ears.

Blood gushed from the wound and the man clutched at his abdomen, coughing out some more blood while Lee slid backwards, meeting the rest of the team as they came forwards with guns raised.

The rest of the thugs stood around their leader, watching with something akin to fascination. This behaviour made the agents stop, curiosity for their lack of movement outweighing the will to shoot.

Naruto felt a cold sweat break out over his forehead when the man wasn't falling down. It was already strange that Lee's powerful kick hadn't seemed to affect him. His eyes widened as realization struck.

"Oh shit—"

"Heh. This virus thing really works," the man growled, grinning up at them, blood around his mouth and smeared over his teeth. "My wound is practically gone!" He jerked his head around. "What the hell are you all waiting for? Kill them!" he roared and in an instant, all guns were drawn.

Gunfire erupted in the hallway as the agents scattered backwards, leaping behind the rippled walls for cover.

"Fuck. They've already been injected with the virus! How'd they know we were coming?" Sasuke snapped, whipping around to fire a shot. He hit one of the gunmen, but they didn't go down. Instead they just held their bleeding arm while the wound began to heal.

"Agent Scarecrow, we're going to need some help here! You need to send in the next team now!" Naruto called in.

"_What is your location?_" Kakashi asked.

"Right outside the elevator from the lobby, on the first floor! They were waiting for us. Obviously we weren't as clear as we thought!" Naruto answered, stepping out fully and firing four shots. He hit one of the men in the head and for a moment no one moved as the man fell backwards, eyes wide and mouth gaping. He was dead, or at least temporarily incapacitated.

"Aim for the heads!" Naruto yelled, ducking back under cover as bullets rained down towards him. There were shouts of understanding as the rest of the agents followed his lead. Sasuke took out two in a spectacular double trigger tap move and Anko managed to floor one with a lucky shot when she jumped to avoid a bullet. Konohamaru and Hinata were mainly keeping the others safe by firing lure rounds, keeping the less friendly ones at bay. Neji was close to the elevator, waiting for the doors to open and let out more agents.

"_The next team is on its way! And they've got your new ammo set!_" Kakashi informed, and Neji relayed the information to the team in case anyone didn't hear.

"Thank God," Hinata said, ducking when some of the wall splintered above her head and rained down into her hair. Naruto nodded in agreement, and jumped out, strafing across the hall and taking out two more shooters. There were about five left, but he felt pleased that they could've gotten this far. It seemed that a bullet to the brain was still something the virus couldn't handle. Much like how the eyes were still weak. He was somewhat stunned at the fact that the virus wasn't as perfect as he thought. Indeed they still had work to do if there were so many weak spots.

Sasuke stepped out, sending two bullets straight for the leader who had managed to stay alive. The man ducked his rounds and fired a shot straight at the raven, laughing sadistically. Sasuke saw the bullet coming and cursed, knowing he wouldn't be able to avoid it completely. It was going to cause some damage—

"Oof!"

Naruto jerked at the force of the bullet slamming into his shoulder, just by the joint of his neck. It had grazed him, but his interference altered its course and it slammed into the wall behind Sasuke, far from his head. He raised a hand, pressing against the bleeding wound while Sasuke shot the leader back into hiding. The Uchiha pulled Naruto to the side, glaring at the wound in his shoulder. Through the tear in Naruto's outfit, he saw the deep graze becoming shallower and shallower, and he sighed in relief.

"Hulk-hour?" he asked and Naruto grinned, nodding.

"But I must say, that one left an unpleasant tingling," he joked and Sasuke snickered lightly, leaning forward and running his tongue over the wound to remove the blood. The metallic taste in his mouth made him feel a sense of déjà vu but he couldn't think why. When all the blood was gone and the wound was already scarring over, Sasuke turned and bit Naruto's lip as punishment for once again throwing himself in the way of a bullet.

"Gentleman, as much as I love the show, we've got a delivery!" Anko called from behind, and the two men looked over to see the elevator doors had opened, spilling out four agents who were manning a heavy-looking bag. They dropped it down, pulling out their own pistols to help in the fight.

Hinata and Konohamaru started to fire even more, keeping the shooters away and under cover while the others raced to the bag, reaching into it to retrieve the ammo clips inside.

"This is Orochimaru's batch?" Sasuke asked, looking to one of the agents who had bought it in. He nodded, fixing his glasses.

"Yes sir!"

"Hn. Let's test it out and see if the freak knows what he's doing," Sasuke said and turned, walking straight into the middle of the hall. He motioned for the others to stop firing and they crouched, lying in wait.

The leader peered around the corner at the sudden quiet, seeing Sasuke standing calmly. His ugly face twisted into a sneer and he stepped out.

"What's your deal, agent? Confident?" he jeered, and then held his arms out. "We're invincible!"

Sasuke smirked. "I could head-shot you right now and disprove that theory," his voice was smooth and immediately the leader pointed his gun between his eyes. "But I'd like to test these out first."

Without further ado Sasuke shot the man right where one of his lungs would be. He coughed, clutching the spot and spitting out some blood. But he didn't fall. Instead, he looked up, grinning again and opened his mouth to gloat over Sasuke's futile efforts.

Blood came out instead of words and his eyes widened while his skin paled and veins started to pop around his forehead. His comrades watched in horror as the wound did not start to heal, but instead what looked like white foam started to form amidst the red mess. It bubbled outwards, falling to the ground in thick droplets that oozed on the floor, red and white and overly disgusting. The man coughed again, blood and foam splattering on the floor before he fell, convulsing harshly and then finally stilling.

Sasuke lowered his gun, eyes staring coolly at the body on the floor. The smoke from his gun streamed up as he calmly spoke.

"Hn. It looks like Orochimaru's anti-virus is a success. And it seems to have some nasty side effects too."

There were clicks all around the hall as all the others loaded their guns with the new ammo and stocked up on spares. Naruto moved to stand beside Sasuke, smirking at the terrified faces of the thugs left. It seemed that they had been very confident solely because of the miracle virus. Undoubtedly these were the small fry of the organization, test subjects for the newest batch and given the front lines to be a trial run.

"This should even the playing field," he mumbled. Sasuke smirked and looked at the remaining shooters.

"This is the part where you decide whether you want to surrender...or whether you want to die," he informed smoothly, and violently cocked his gun for dramatic effect.

Guns dropped to the floor instantly and hands were raised as the shooters stepped out from their covers, pale-faced and nervous.

Sasuke's smirk widened while Naruto grinned and waved his hand. The four delivery agents hurried forwards to the surrendering men, pinning their arms behind their backs and securing them with jerky movements and blank faces.

"Take them to Kakashi. He'll tell you what to do with them," Sasuke ordered and received nods before the agents led the men away, forcing them into the elevator. Anko stuck her tongue out and Konohamaru pulled a face at them, taunting the cowards childishly until a glare from Sasuke made them both stop and behave professional.

"Let's keep going. It's only going to get harder from here on out," Naruto ordered, rubbing his healed shoulder. The others nodded, raising their guns and keeping ready. They edged forwards, moving like liquid shadows, sliding down the hallways. A clanging behind them let them know that Anko had climbed into the vents and taking up her position to watch the elevator for anyone trying to escape, as well as to direct new agents to their destinations.

They reached the first junction, and Sasuke signalled for Neji and Lee to go. The two men nodded and swiftly darted down the new hall, keeping quiet and low. The rest continued on, wondering at how empty it suddenly seemed.

"Where is everyone?" Hinata mumbled softly, eyes looking around with hesitance.

"I'd guess that by now someone is alerting the leader," Sasuke speculated.

"He's probably getting all his guys injected with the virus now and we're going to be swarmed!" Konohamaru said, spinning on his heel to check behind them before resuming his pace forward. Naruto nodded in agreement.

"There's the second branch off," he noted, and hurried to it, peering around the corner. It was just as desolate as the others. "Okay, you two go! And be careful!" he said. Hinata nodded. Konohamaru swallowed, slightly paler than before while he looked at Naruto. The blond smiled and reached over, ruffling his hair.

"Take care of yourself, brat," he whispered. Konohamaru smiled weakly and nodded.

"Yes boss!"

Hinata placed a gentle hand on the younger boy's shoulder, smiling. "You'll be fine," she assured and fixed a look to both Naruto and Sasuke. "Both of you, please be careful," she said, a pleading tone to her voice. Naruto grinned brightly and Sasuke nodded.

"We'll be fine. Now go," the raven ordered, and with another nod, the two took off down the hall.

Naruto watched their backs for a moment before he felt Sasuke tap his shoulder. With a soft sigh and a wish for luck, he turned and followed Sasuke's lean figure down the hall, heading deeper into the heart of this hell.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sweat poured down his face as he sprinted down the stairs and through the long, cold and empty corridor. The lights flickered overhead and his eyes stung, but he kept running until he reached the end. Panting violently, he burst through the door, almost falling flat on his face and coughing for air.<p>

"What's going on?" his leader snapped angrily, looking up from his files. The remaining heads of the organization, namely Itachi, Kisame and Zetsu looked up and stared at the new arrival, panting and groaning.

"Agents!" the messenger gasped, leaning against the door. "The agents are attacking! They're on the first floor! They took out the lobby guards and are coming into the building!"

The leader was standing, his chair toppled over while he glared angrily at the bearer of this bad news.

"Dammit, they beat us to the punch," he snarled before turning to Kisame. "Kisame! Get everyone ready and injected and send them out! Don't let the agents get to the top floors, or the underground areas! Clean them out!"

Kisame grinned, pushing away from the wall. "Yes boss!" he cheered, jogging to the door. "This is going to be fun," they heard him sing as he rushed down the hallway, the clanking of his knives audible even then.

Itachi calmly placed his glass down, having been sipping at some scotch for the time being. He turned to the leader.

"Would you like me to go too?" he asked quietly. The man before him studied him for a moment before smirking and nodding.

"Yes. Kill them all. Any agent you see, you kill. Understood?" he snapped. Itachi smirked, nodding and moving to the door.

He stepped into the hallway, noticing that Kisame was already far gone. Knowing how quickly the shark-like man worked, he was most likely already ordering the 'soldiers' to get the virus injected and start their attacks.

His steps echoed as he strode purposefully down the cold hall and he pulled out his cell phone. Quickly dialling a number, he pressed the phone to his ear. When the person answered, he spoke quickly and precisely, stating his orders and then hanging up as soon as he got confirmation. With that done, he reached the elevator and stepped inside.

His pale hand slid back, grabbing the gun stored in a holster by his hip. He pulled it out and casually checked the magazine, seeing it was fully loaded. Sliding the clip back into place and cocking the weapon with a click, he held it loosely in his hand, unconcerned about the oncoming battle that would likely destroy the building.

The doors dinged and his lips curved into a wicked smirk as the metal barriers slid open to reveal the bloodied hallway beyond. The agents had already been here and moved on.

"Hn. Let's see how much you've grown, foolish little brother."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>*turns head on arms and stares at readers*<strong>

**I hope you liked it. Please leave a review with your thoughts. Hopefully they can motivate me like they usually do to write better and faster...**

***sad smile* Sorry for not replying to reviews...I really meant to, but things have been dreary around here even before my sis left, so now that she's gone it only adds to the gloom. *shrug* I'll try to reply to everyone, but please forgive me if I miss you. Just know that I do read all the reviews and I love you all for taking the time to send them. Getting feedback is one of the best things ever, I think. (Well, from an author's perspective anyway)**

**On a side note, I usually make update notes on the twitter account M forced me to make... So yeah, if you'd like to know ahead of time when updates are going well or not, or new ideas are coming out, I tend to tweet it. Though, I don't use that account for anything else now that I think of it. ¬_¬**


	20. Clashing Thunder

**Hiya! Well, I worked hard and I managed to finish this in time for our Friday update! I'll try hard to make sure the next chapter is also finished in time for next week, but please forgive me if I happen to be a day late. I cannot guarantee anything! ^.^**

**Also, thanks to everyone who wished me well during my little time of gloomy-depression. I am feeling better, though things are still a bit sad around here. But personally I'm okay! *grin* Thanks to everyone who reviewed and special thanks to everyone who went the extra mile to wish me well. It really makes me so happy and I couldn't help but smile! **

**Hmmm, I notice we're getting a lot of new readers for this story. Lots of alerts and favs. ^_^ Well, welcome my new, silent readers! I hope you've enjoyed the story so far and that the rest will cater to your liking!**

**Now then, without further delay, I bring you the next installment of Agent Duck-Butt!**

**Warnings: blood and violence, some language, ect.**

**Disclaimer: Duh duh, tis obvious my dears. You all know who I don't own and who I do. *bows***

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Kakashi stood just outside of a large black van staring at the building that towered above him. A set of headphones and a microphone were in his grasp as he listened to the various communications between the agents inside the building. If he thought about it, he realized that they were like ants; dozens upon dozens of people in black clothing swarming into the building, destroying anyone that came into their path and carrying off the treasure troves, or in this case, anyone that seemed to be important. So far, five teams of agents had successfully made it into the building, including Naruto and Sasuke's teams. Anko was doing a brilliant job of commanding the new arrivals and at the rate they were going, the building would get cleared before midnight.<p>

'_...It's going way too smoothly. They've got a trick up their sleeves,_' he thought darkly, eyes narrowing.

There was a furious uproar of typing and Kakashi looked down to the side to see Shikamaru at his laptop, fingers whizzing across the keyboard.

"Shikamaru, have you hacked into their security feed yet?" Kakashi asked. The brunet sighed.

"They've got a million and one firewalls. It's taking me some time. But I'll get there eventually," he mumbled.

"Sir, all agents have been deployed with adequate weaponry!" Chouji announced from the van. Kakashi nodded and walked over to the larger van parked a few feet away. The whole truck was shaking violently as the vicious snarls of creatures inside met his ears. Kakashi walked up to the man fiddling with the latch.

"Kiba, it's time. Send in your scouts to search for the leader," Kakashi ordered. Kiba grinned ferally, flipping the latch and yanking the doors open.

Several large, ferocious looking dogs barrelled out, their sleek black hides shining under the glow of the street lamps. Their jaws gaped as saliva dripped down their fangs, and their noses twitched as they picked up the various scents. Kiba grinned as he stood among them, looking for all the world like he belonged on all fours alongside them.

"Go!" he yelled, pointing towards the building. With thunderous barks, the dogs took off, sprinting into the building and vanishing up the stairs.

Kakashi quickly switched his communication channels. "Alert to all agents; the hounds have been released. Be on the lookout for any of them tracking a hidden trail!" he informed and signed off. Flipping open his phone, he dialled a number and pressed it to his ear. "Chief, it's me. Everything's going smoothly. A bit too smoothly if you ask me. What of Jiraiya and his team?"

He listened, nodding every so often as the Chief relayed the plans. "Roger that." He shut his phone, sliding it back into his pocket and leaning back against the van.

He wished he could go in. But someone had to stay outside and command the agents and relay orders. But dammit, his gut was screaming for him to enter that building. There was something odd, he knew it.

"Kakashi," Shikamaru said and the agent turned, peering at the slim male curiously. Shikamaru seemed to think for a moment before sighing explosively and holding out his hand. "I can command the agents from here. I know all the strategies, as well as the schematics for the building. Plus I'll have hacked into the security network soon. I can direct all the teams more efficiently if I don't have to relay messages through someone else," he said.

Kakashi stared at him for a long moment before grinning behind his mask. "It's such a pity you insisted on going into the gadget department. You'd have made a brilliant agent," he said, tossing over the headphones as well as his phone. Shikamaru just grumbled under his breath, sliding the gear on.

"Chouji, give Kakashi his gun and a communicator!" he said loudly and the large male quickly moved to snatch the objects, handing them over to Kakashi with a grin.

"Careful agent! That gun packs a powerful punch if you don't handle it carefully!" he warned and Kakashi cocked the weapon with a relish.

"I think I'll manage," his voice was a purr as he strode towards the building. "God it's good to get some action."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Blood.<p>

Lots of it.

Itachi's eyes coolly took in the hallway before him. He could identify many of the bodies as the underlings of the organization, but there were one or two people clad in black.

'_Agents, huh? It seems that we're weeding off the useless ones,_' he thought snidely, prodding one of the agent's bodies with his shoe. It was a woman, her hair falling out of a bun and her eyes wide and empty. She'd been shot in the throat.

'_I'd like to meet whoever managed that lucky shot,_' Itachi mused, continuing down the hall. He turned the corner and was met with a growl. A large Doberman was standing before him, teeth bared in a vicious snarl and ears perked. Itachi stared at the animal as if it were nothing but an insect crawling across the floor.

"Hn," he grunted, taking a bold step towards the animal. The dog's growling escalated, but Itachi kept eye contact, never once backing down. He took another step and the growls turned into violent snarls and short barks. Itachi took another step, a smirk curving his face.

The dog took a step back, still as noisy as ever.

"Pathetic," Itachi mumbled and walked right past the animal, paying no heed to the loud snarls or barks it made. He had already won that meaningless battle, and he had no time to waste.

As he approached another hallway, he heard gunshots and shouting. He paused near the corridor entrance and peered around, watching with bored interest as an agent was slaughtered violently by one of the organizations 'soldiers'. The virus-enhanced man was laughing manically as he snapped another agent's neck with his bare hands. Two other agents were yelling, shooting at him but their shots were missing. Itachi's eyes narrowed in a scowl. They were pathetic.

"Duck!"

Itachi watched as the two agents ducked, and a third came sprinting forward. His hair intrigued the Uchiha, as it was styled in a ridiculous bowl cut. But his observations on the man's hair were cut short when said man sliced through the air like a knife, twisting his body into a powerful spinning kick. The virus-junky took the blow and slid back a few feet, but he didn't go down.

Then a gunshot cracked through the air and Itachi jerked his head back to avoid blood and brain splashing on his cheeks when a bullet crashed through the soldier's head. Peering around the corner again, Itachi saw a second agent with long brown hair hanging over his shoulders and a bandage on his forehead.

'_Hm, I believe that was the agent that tried to take down one of our planes..._' he thought nonchalantly. The Uchiha watched the men converse for a minute before he walked across, ignoring them entirely as he continued down the first hallway, leaving them behind. They never saw him.

'_I wonder how they shall handle the Special Unit our fair leader created..._' he wondered, a menacing smile on his face. '_And where are you, my foolish little brother?_'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke felt a cold tingle running up his spine and glanced around, wondering what caused it. There was nothing but the fallen bodies of their enemies, and one body of an unfortunate agent that had burst in at the wrong moment. Sasuke didn't know who he was; he was obviously new.<p>

Besides him, Naruto was working to open a door that blocked them entrance to the stairs. Unfortunately, the elevator was out of order over on this side of the building.

Sasuke flinched slightly when another thunderous crash and blast of heat came from behind the closed elevator doors, indicating the cart had finally hit the bottom floor. He hadn't mean to shoot the control panel! It only happened because he slipped on some blood and his aim went off slightly. He still killed the crazy gunman that had been standing in the elevator trying to mow them down.

"Got it," Naruto said, shoving open the door and rushing inside. Sasuke made to follow him but before he could. "Fuck it—"

Naruto came flying out the room, crashing onto the floor and bouncing once with a grunt. Sasuke leapt back as someone came rushing out behind Naruto and he barely dodged the punch thrown his way. He felt an air current hit his cheek from the direction of the punch and gasped as he realized how powerful the person had to be for that to happen.

Sliding back to safety, he saw it was a huge bulk of a man with dyed orange hair pulled back and tied down with a sash. He had several piercings on his face, and practically everything about him screamed criminal.

Except his eyes. They were blank and empty, as if he weren't awake and his body was moving on its own.

Sasuke stared at him, gun raised. He could tell that this man was different to the other thugs that they'd faced so far. He was powerful; the strength practically oozed off of him. He wondered if, perhaps, this man was the leader.

But no, that was stupid. Why would the leader come out like this? Sasuke was certain that the real leader was still in hiding, holed up somewhere. And if they continued to clean out the building, the leader would then make his escape. Or attempt to.

They would be there to snag him.

Naruto got to his feet, coughing once. He wiped his mouth, glaring at the man before them. It was obvious he was juiced up with the virus. That kick had hurt and sent him flying; no normal person could do that now.

Keeping his eyes locked on the man, he reached for his gun. Blank eyes slid towards him and he tensed.

Sasuke jumped when suddenly the man was gone, having moved so fast he found it hard to track him. He turned, mouth opening in a yell when he saw the enemy heading straight to Naruto. The blond seemed much more aware of the man's speed, however, because he spun on his heel, countering the powerful blow sent his way with his elbow. Sasuke jumped back at the heavy thud of enhanced bone meeting its equal counterpart.

He could already tell that he would lose in a hand-to-hand confrontation. He would have to be Naruto's shooter.

Naruto saw Sasuke getting ready to shoot and ducked down, sliding his arms up and gripping the enemy tightly to his body, keeping him trapped. The click of a gun being cocked met his ears and he grinned, waiting for Sasuke to end the enemy.

His eyes widened when he felt himself being lifted and flipped, and let out a startled yelp when he was pulled back, his arms hitched above him and his body exposed to Sasuke's gun.

Sasuke saw the switch and his jaw dropped open as his finger pressed the trigger. Everything had happened so fast, he had already been halfway to pressing when the man suddenly pulled this trick. His heart stopped in place when he heard the clack of the trigger pushing past its mark, and Sasuke couldn't breathe.

'_I'm shooting Naruto! I'm going to kill Naruto!_' his mind screamed, but the bullet was already exiting the chamber of his pistol. Everything was slow as he saw it zoom out, pulsing through the air. His heart still wasn't beating and Sasuke hoped it never started again. Naruto was in the path of that bullet, and this time he would not recover when it hit.

This time, he would end up like all those bodies on the floor; smeared in blood and white foam.

"No—!"

His cry was cut off when the bullet veered off course, slamming into the roof. A similar hole was in the floor between them, and smoke rose up from the small hole. Sasuke's heart started to beat again as he stared at the mark.

"Phew, that was a close one!" a voice said jovially from the side.

Naruto kicked his leg back, knocking out the foothold of the man holding him. In the second it took him to regain his balance, the blond had yanked himself from the tight grasp. Naruto dived forward, his hands shooting out to catch him before shoving himself back, both legs straight out in a double kick that smashed against his opponent's chest, knocking him backwards.

Sasuke turned to face the one who had saved Naruto from being shot by his own hand and his eyes widened at seeing Kakashi waving to him, gun raised.

"Scarecrow?" Naruto panted, jumping to stand by Sasuke. "What're you doing here? You should be outside!"

"And let you guys have all the fun? Please," Kakashi smiled, tilting his head to the side. "Let's not forget who's top dog here!"

Sasuke smirked, about to make a jab when suddenly the large man appeared in front of Kakashi. Both he and Naruto started to yell, trying to warn the older man of the enemy and his strength.

They saw the orange-haired monster strike, fist crushing through the air towards Kakashi's smiling face. They flinched, waiting for the sickening sound of a neck snapping, or bones breaking.

Silence.

A chuckle.

"Now boys, what have we taught you about wasting time?"

Naruto jumped a foot in the air, spinning around to see Kakashi casually leaning against the wall a good few feet away from where he'd been standing before. The masked man waved, visible eye curving up in a happy, upside down 'u'.

"Run along, children! Let Papa Agent handle this bully!" he said cheerfully.

Naruto was gaping, but Sasuke straightened, composing himself from the shock. He gave a curt nod to his superior and grasped Naruto's hand, pulling him back.

"Wait! Scarecrow, you can't—" Naruto stopped dead when Kakashi gave him a look. His eyes...

"I said, 'run along'," Kakashi drawled, his voice low and deadly. "Don't be a naughty boy, Kyuubi."

Naruto shuddered at the sudden shift in the air. He could tell just by looking at the man before him that he was no longer Kakashi Hatake. He was Agent Scarecrow, one of the few Legendary Agents; he was one of the undefeatable.

Nodding, Naruto let Sasuke tug him away, but he kept glancing over his shoulder to watch as much of the fight behind him as he could. The last thing he saw before they turned the hall was Kakashi casually brushing his hair aside to reveal both of his eyes so that he could see perfectly.

Then they were running through the halls, devoid of more enemies. They passed empty room after empty room, but still they were met with no one. It was safe to assume that, aside from Kakashi's enemy, this floor was clear.

"Here," Sasuke said, tugging Naruto again and leading him towards an elevator. "We should get to the next level," he said, punching the button, "and clear it out."

Naruto nodded as they waited for the elevator. Suddenly his ears perked. He could hear something coming towards them from down the hall. He strained his enhanced ears to listen and his eyes widened when he realized what it was.

The doors dinged open and Sasuke was about to tell Naruto to get in when he was shoved harshly. He slammed into the elevator wall and bounced slightly before whipping around, eyes wide as he saw Naruto taking a step back, his gun pointing up at the ceiling in his right hand.

"What're you—" Sasuke stopped when he heard the vicious snarling and the heavy thuds. It was loud and tumultuous...there was more than one. His eyes widened when Naruto took another step back, a smile on his face. "Na—"

"I'll catch up with you, bastard," Naruto said cheerfully as the doors began to close. Sasuke could only stare as, in the space before the doors shut entirely, Naruto pointed his gun to the right, head turned in the same direction. Something large and grey-brown was hurtling through the air, a gaping jaw filled with razor teeth outstretching. The tip of Naruto's gun vanished into its gaping mouth as the doors slid shut, and Sasuke heard the resounding boom of a gunshot and the sickening squelch of a head bursting before the elevator began to move.

He gritted his teeth, annoyed that yet again Naruto was staying behind. He had wanted to keep Naruto in his sight throughout this entire mission. He wanted to stay with him to ensure that he kept him alive, or if that failed...so they could at least die together.

"Moron," Sasuke bit out, pulling his gun forward and pulling out the ammo clip to check it. He growled angrily and shoved it back into place harshly before cocking it, the click seeming to snap something in his mind as he heard the car ding to announce his arrival to the next floor. "You'd better catch up."

The doors slid open and Sasuke spun on his heel out of it, resting his gun-arm on his other arm while he fired off several shots, taking out the men waiting to ambush him like amateurs.

This organization had many underlings and drones that were disposable. It seemed the real soldiers were scattered sparsely and that they were the ones to be reckoned with. Sasuke closed his eyes briefly, picturing Naruto's smile as he stood outside the elevator. The image morphed into the cheeky grin Naruto had given him earlier at the cafe. He felt a sense of calm wash over him and he opened his eyes, ignoring the blood spreading on the floor from his fallen foes. He had a job to do, and Naruto would give him hell if he didn't keep focused.

Sasuke ran down the hall, keeping his eyes out. Something seemed wrong. This floor felt so quiet and empty. He passed a window and stopped, looking through it and seeing that he was one floor away from the top. Had they really cleared the floors so quickly? Then again, he and Naruto had left a few floors to their other comrades.

"My my, you look very relaxed for someone participating in an invasion," a mocking voice said. Sasuke spun around, gun already aimed at the person standing down the hall and leaning on the wall as if it were an ordinary day. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw the man. Wearing a mesh vest was a man with the stature of a professional body builder. Large muscles carved his upper body and a fearsome tattoo of a shark was on his chest, splashing across it and covering almost every inch. His face was stretch in a grin, showing pointed teeth and there were markings on his cheeks, similar to Naruto's. But where the blond looked like a fox, this man reminded Sasuke of a shark. His blue-dyed hair helped the appearance as it was styled in an almost fin-like shape. He wore a thick belt that was riddled with knives, and a large case was on his back.

Sasuke tensed his muscles, knowing that this man was different than the others. He was most likely a soldier of some type.

"I didn't think the leader would let it get this far. Then again I always imagined him to be a bit of an Ace-card type," the man continued and Sasuke felt his jaw clenching at the sound of his voice. Like Orochimaru's voice was a constant throaty hiss, this man's voice was nothing but a tone of jeering mockery. Every word that came from his mouth sounded like a taunting insult, even the most basic of speech. It was like he thought the world was a humongous joke and was just waiting for the punch-line to come and make him laugh.

"Hn. It doesn't matter what type of person your leader is. You're organization is finished," Sasuke replied firmly. "Surrender now and save yourself the trouble."

The man's grin widened something fierce. "Hn...? That's a familiar sound," his head tilted abruptly and Sasuke flinched at the sound of his neck clicking. The man continued to grin even as his head slowly slid back upright. "You must be Itachi's little look-a-like...the one that Sasori told me about."

Sasuke's blood froze for a second before pumping faster and fiercer than before.

"...You know Itachi..." he mumbled and in his mind that simple knowledge stamped a large red 'enemy' on this man's profile.

The man nodded and pushed away from the wall. Sasuke tensed further, shifting slightly at every subtle movement. He was like a spring wound tight, ready to snap and jump at any further provocation. But the man only chuckled at him as if he were a child.

"I'm Kisame, by the way. I'm one of the organizations leaders," he introduced.

Sasuke blinked slowly at the admission. "Hn. Okay." And then he shot him.

The bullet slammed into Kisame's left shoulder and the force of it made the man stumble back, his grin sliding off his face as he turned his head to look at the wound. Sasuke's lips were curving in a smirk as he saw foam starting to form.

"The virus is rendered useless under our antivirus. You're nothing but an ordinary man now," he informed him, straightening up. His smirk turned into a confused frown when Kisame suddenly started laughing.

Kisame's laughter was just as mocking as his voice, and he reached up to wipe away the foam and blood that gathered around the wound. Sasuke's eyes bulged slightly when he saw the man dig his fingers into the hole and pull out the bullet with nothing but a few grunts.

"Silly boy," Kisame said, tossing the bullet up and down before he threw it away, over his shoulder. "I never took the virus. I don't need it."

Sasuke was caught off guard by the comment and in that moment Kisame moved. His speed was impressive, but not amazing like Naruto's was when he was affected. And this was why Sasuke didn't react in time. He was expecting a superhuman, and yet he was faced with a man.

Kisame's punch landed smack on his nose and he fell backwards, stumbling and collapsing as pain flared up. His nose was broken and blood was dripping down. With a curse, he flung his arm around to shoot the man again, but a metallic clunk met his ears and he saw a knife protruding from the end of his gun. He cursed again and rolled, avoiding the three daggers that were thrown his way.

He heard the amused and manic cackle of his opponent and stood up, wincing as he shoved his nose back into place with a crunch. Turning to Kisame, he saw the man had used his time of recuperating to tear off the hem of his pant leg and created a make-shift bandage for his shoulder.

'_He's a normal man. He's not enhanced with the virus! I can beat him! I can beat him without a gun!_' Sasuke reminded himself and turned his body to fully face his enemy. He slid his feet apart slightly, arms curling and fists forming into a basic fighting stance. Kisame stared at him for a moment, taking in his determined face and the deadly strain of his muscles. He could see the way the raven's mind was calculating his every step and he grinned.

Indeed this was proving to be fun like he had hoped.

He decided to follow along with the young man's game and mimicked his stance, bypassing his blades. Just by looking at this man, Kisame knew that he was related to Itachi. Everything about him screamed Uchiha, from his appearance to his attitude to the way he practically smelled of arrogance and hubris. His blood was pumping excitedly. Kisame had always had a fascination with Itachi. The man was so cold and collected, Kisame had wondered what he would be like in battle. He'd never had a real challenge. Every opponent he came across, no matter how strong, always fell under his blades. He had wondered if Itachi was different. Something about the man told him that yes, he was. But to fight Itachi was tricky; they were working together after all.

But here was something that Kisame would peg as Itachi's brother. In fact, he had looked angry when he mentioned Itachi's name.

"How do you know Itachi, Cockatoo?" he asked, donning a nickname to the man he was about to fight as was his habit.

Sasuke growled at the nickname. "None of your business," he snapped and then rushed forward, bringing his fist around for a punch. Kisame deflected it and brought his other arm up in an uppercut. Sasuke threw his head back, missing the blow and forced himself backwards. He kicked his legs out as he moved into a handstand. Kisame used both of his arms to stop the powerful kick from hitting his chest. Sasuke hovered for a moment in a perfect handstand before he began to walk forwards on his hands, bringing his legs down repeatedly.

Kisame grinned, blocking each kick and then jumping when the agent ducked and spun into a sweeping kick.

"Not bad for a bird!" he said, laughing at the growl his comment received. It seemed that, unlike Itachi, this raven was incredibly easy to rile up.

Sasuke knew the man was taunting him. He could see it in his eyes and the way he responded to each attack. It was a game to him and that pissed the Uchiha off beyond belief. When he fought, he was the one pretending it was a game, not the other way around.

But he also knew that he had to keep his cool. He couldn't let Kisame rile him up too much or hifs focus would be ruined. It was time to tap back into the earlier days of his training with Kakashi. He heard the man's voice in his head, ordering him to remain calm and collected even as he dodged various projectiles and fought hand to hand. It had been hard at first, keeping a straight face and a calm facade when his life was on the line.

But he mastered it, just as he mastered so many other things.

Kisame noticed the way his opponents face smoothed out, becoming calm and chilling and he felt a thrill. His face was just like Itachi's. It was calm, collected and perfectly emotionless. Even as his fist narrowly missed the raven's cheek, making his long bangs flutter, his face remained the same as if he was wearing a painted mask. It made Kisame wonder about Itachi. He had thought that the man was just naturally like that...but what if it was also a mask? What monster lay beneath the surface?

His thoughts of what Itachi may or may not be hiding vanished when he felt the subtle shift of one of his blades being drawn. His head whipped down to see that the agent had stolen one of his longer daggers and he jumped back.

He turned a glare to the now smirking raven who was absently twirling his blade.

"It's been a while since I got to use a blade," Sasuke said calmly as he twirled the blade. Kakashi had spent a large amount of time teaching him how to handle various swords, spears and bladed weapons. It was just another notch in his arsenal, and Sasuke admitted that he missed swordplay.

Kisame growled. "No one has ever been bold enough to steal my own weapons," he said. Then his scowl turned into a feral grin. "I'll just have to take it back from your dead body," he drawled.

Sasuke anticipated his first attack and with ease he avoided the lunging slice sent his way, arching his body to the side. He spun, bringing his own blade in a deadly sweep straight for Kisame's back. His eyes widened when a second blade stopped his progress, held in Kisame's other hand. He had drawn another one as soon as Sasuke had dodged the first.

The agent growled and pushed away to avoid an attack, his feet quickly tapping backwards before he caught a firm stand, the sword raised and held horizontal across his face. Kisame held his two blades before he slid them both back into their sheaths. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, watching as the shark man reached behind him to take out his longest and largest sword. Upon seeing its form, Sasuke couldn't stop his face from slackening in surprise.

Held in Kisame's hand was one of the most malicious looking swords he'd ever seen. It was jagged all along the edge, uneven and hooked. But to make it worse was that this sword was not thin and flat, but had a rounded quality to it, making it almost triangular in width. And every inch was covered with jagged edges, some of which still held faint stains of blood.

"This is my greatest creation," Kisame explained cheerfully. "I call it Samehada," he cooed affectionately.

Sasuke could now say with certainty that everyone in the organization was insane. They were all completely bonkers; their marbles were scattered; their cheese had slipped off their crackers; the screws were loose.

Any and all metaphors for insanity were appropriate for these people.

Sasuke prepared himself for a long fight, keeping his eyes on every single move that Kisame made. Internally, he wondered where Naruto was as well as how the others were doing.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Konohamaru cursed for the nth time as he ran down a hall. He and Hinata had gotten separated during a rather intense battle with some strange, red-headed guy. The man had looked like a zombie, but his strength was amazing. It had taken their combined efforts to take him down...four times. During the last time, Konohamaru had slipped and ended up falling backwards down the stairwell.<p>

He winced yet again as both pain from his fall and humiliation for his clumsiness spiked through his body. Honestly, he could just punch himself sometimes.

He had gone back up the stairs like he planned but Hinata had already left. He realized that she hadn't seen him fall through the stairs, so he reasoned she had moved on, thinking she was following him. Oh boy, was Naruto going to have his hide for leaving his mission partner again. Seriously, his luck was shittier than shit.

As he turned the corner, he saw someone that definitely wasn't an agent standing over the dead soldiers body, seemingly taking something. He could've shot him, but curiosity was more dominant than violence, so instead he quickly raced over and pressed his gun to the back of the person's head.

"Don't move," he ordered, watching as the dark-red haired man's entire body tensed up as his gun clicked.

"Whoa! Okay, be cool!" the man said, his gruff voice holding a slightly frantic edge. Undoubtedly he could feel the gun through his long hair tie.

Konohamaru narrowed his eyes, slowly letting the man stand up while keeping his back to him. "Turn around," he ordered sharply. With a nod, the man turned around, a concerned half-smile on his face. His eyebrows twitched when Konohamaru shoved his gun into his face and his green eyes crossed trying to keep the tip in focus.

Konohamaru stared at him, noticing the two vertical scars on each of his cheeks. They seemed familiar, but he pushed the feeling aside and focused more on that curiosity which was stopping him from putting a bullet in the man's head.

"Who're you with?" he asked.

The green eyed man stared at him for a minute before sighing. "I'd rather not answer that," he said. Konohamaru scowled.

"Why not?" he snapped. The man gave a light, one shouldered shrug.

"Because if I told the truth you would probably shoot me. And if I lied you would see through it and shoot me anyway. Either way, it's a lose-lose situation for me," he said and grinned sheepishly.

Konohamaru didn't like that answer. It basically told him all he needed to know. This man was an enemy. He pushed the gun a bit further.

"What were you taking from this body?" he asked, wanting to get his question answered. The man glanced down at the dead body before looking back at Konohamaru.

"Money. A man's got to eat, you know," he said. His eyes never strayed from Konohamaru's, and the brunet could tell he was lying. Then again, it was obvious in his voice. Tired of this game, he knew he couldn't learn anything from the red head and decided to end this useless conversation.

Just as he was about to pull the trigger, the man's expression changed. It went from pensive to bright and cheerful, and the grin became real. That was his only warning before something cold and hard pressed against the back of his head and his eyes widened when he realized that someone was behind him, holding him in the same position as he held the red head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a new voice said. Once more familiarity was struck inside of Konohamaru and he slowly started to move his head, trying to catch a glimpse of his holder. He kept his gun raised at the red head but made no move to shoot him. Looking over his shoulder, he was shocked to see an almost identical replica of his hostage behind him. Except this newcomer's hair was shorter and his eyes were blue.

Those eyes...

Konohamaru gasped quietly. "You were at the lab! You were the one who told me to get out!" he said. The blue-eyed man just stared at him, his face dark as he held his gun to the agent's head, unforgiving.

"So this is the brat you saved? I think you need to renovate your sympathy cells, Kamari!" the first red head said teasingly.

"Shut it Kaoru, let's not forget I'm the one saving your ass," Kamari said exasperatedly. His twin just grinned, shrugging. "C'mon kid, lower the gun," Kamari said. Konohamaru wondered what he could do to get out of this situation when yet another voice joined them.

"Sorry boys, but I'm going to have to steal that little agent away from you," a cheery voice said. Once more, all eyes moved to behind Kamari, and both red-heads blinked.

"Kabuto?"

Kabuto smiled, adjusting his glasses even as he cocked his gun against Kamari's head. "Hello."

"Who're you?" Konohamaru asked, unsure if he was another enemy or an ally.

"I'm Orochimaru's spy," Kabuto supplied and Konohamaru grinned, turning back to Kaoru who was looking irritated.

"Okay, okay, everyone calm down before we all start shooting each other!" he said, frustrated and there was a snort from the agent.

"You're only saying that because you're the only one who doesn't have a gun!" Konohamaru jeered. He felt Kamari bump his head with his pistol and tensed, but an echoing hiss confirmed that Kabuto had done the same. They really were in a bit of a jam, and though Kabuto was essentially the command-giver, Konohamaru was still in danger.

"Alright, how about we all lower our weapons nice and slow? We don't really want to fight you guys," Kamari said slowly, eyes flickering from the agent, the spy and finally his twin. Their eyes locked and something shifted. Kaoru's pupils seemed to dilate slightly, his grin becoming sharper while Kamari's jaw shifted, making his scars stretch.

Konohamaru only realized their plan when it was already being executed. Kabuto didn't expect the bold kick delivered his way and out of reflex he jumped back. Konohamaru spun around, ducking down as he did so but it was pointless because Kamari just jumped, using the agent's shoulder as a ledge to vault over him and the next second both red heads were sprinting down the hall, dodging the bullets that Konohamaru and Kabuto fired after them before vanishing around the corner.

"Shit!" Konohamaru cursed, starting to run after them. Before he could, a hand on his shoulder stopped him and he turned to Kabuto. "They're getting away! Let's go!"

"Those two aren't much of a worry," Kabuto said calmly, sliding his gun back into the holster on his hip. "They worked for the organization, but it's obvious they're not loyal to it. Undoubtedly now that you guys are tearing this place apart, they're just going to find a way to get out alive."

"But what if they try to steal something and start over?" Konohamaru reasoned, inching towards the direction they'd gone. Kabuto shook his head again.

"I've been keeping tabs on all the people here. Those two don't seem to hold any sort of desire to continue the research these people are doing. I'm sure they were only here for the money offered," he explained.

Konohamaru bit his lip, unsure before finally sighing. "Fine. But I'm reporting them in anyway. Our Chief wants us to capture as many as we can, and kill any that resist too much. It's to eliminate the chance of anyone continuing this organization once we destroy it," he said, already radioing in for orders.

Kabuto just shrugged and nodded again. Honestly he didn't care whether the twins were captured or not. He just wanted to hurry and go after the leader, who he was sure would be making plans of escape about now. The agents were quickly taking down the building, and even though the virus was within each and every enemy, with Orochimaru's anti-virus the fight was even. Beyond even. It was almost unfair to the enemies, who were so confident in the virus they never saw its defeat coming.

"Alright, the others have been alerted of them. Let's go-hey!" Konohamaru stumbled as Kabuto started to drag him the opposite way. "Dude, wrong way! That way! THAT WAY!" he yelled, pointing down the hall.

Kabuto chuckled lightly amused by the young man's actions. "Silly, we're not going to waste our time on lesser prey. We're going after the leader!" he said cheerfully and then grunted when Konohamaru fell to his backside to stop Kabuto's movement.

"ARE YOU INSANE?" the kid yelled, eyes wide. As tempting as the idea of going after the leader was, Konohamaru wasn't going to act like a fool. Asuma had already gotten hurt because of his eagerness to take on the mission solo. He knew he wouldn't be able to take on the leader of the organization. His skills were still that of a new agent, even if he was following Naruto's record. But what most people didn't realize is that on all those missions, Naruto had been his supervisor, telling him what to do and giving him the guidance he needed. In a way, he had been cheating.

"What? The leader is a scary man, yes, but he's not an immortal. We can take him," Kabuto said. He was annoyed that this kid was hindering him. It had been so long since he'd seen any action that he was eager to throw himself into danger to enjoy some action. But he wasn't stupid enough to go alone. He'd rather take an agent with him. If not for a partner, then for a shield.

"No!" Konohamaru refused again, dragging his feet on the floor as well as his butt to stop Kabuto from walking. He could see the building irritation in the bespectacled man's eyes, but he didn't care. He was known for being irritating to a deadly level and he wasn't worried about the repercussions. "We follow orders! Let the top agents deal with the leader!" he insisted.

Kabuto was close to snapping and deciding to just go anyway. If he died at least he'd die in a fight and not due to boredom in his velvety room at Guren's whorehouse.

Before he could say anything more, there was a rumble that made the floor shake and he turned his head over his shoulder to see another one of the leader's specialised 'soldiers' approaching him. Kabuto smirked slightly at the orange-haired man, also covered in piercings and the same blank look in his eyes. He knew the secrets of these people. The specialised soldiers were men and women who had dedicated themselves to the leader, blindly. And as such they had been brainwashed, their will and individuality slaughtered mercilessly. They were the closest things to a living machine. They had received an order from their leader, their master, and they intended to keep to it, even if it meant their death.

Yes, this soldier would do.

"Alright kid, have it your way," Kabuto said at last, letting go of Konohamaru's wrist and grabbing his gun. "But before we go chasing after the weaklings, let's get rid of this bear, shall we?" he added cheerfully, smiling despite the oncoming menace that had already raised a fist.

Konohamaru saw the opponent and cursed, wondering if this slimmer man was as strong as the previous one. He had little time to think when Kabuto was rushing forwards, shooting in quick succession before tossing his gun aside and withdrawing a thin knife from a hidden pocket in his sleeve. The agent watched with wide eyes as the silver-haired man dove forwards and twisted, sliding across the floor on his back and slicing at the enemy's ankles the moment he went under him. The soldier fell to his knees, face blank even as the wounds on his ankles started to heal. Kabuto's bullets were not enhanced, after all.

Konohamaru blinked, watching as this fact didn't at all set back the man who just attacked the soldier again, slicing the back of his neck and then a spot under his arm that made blood gush out like a waterfall.

'_Damn...this guy really is that freaky doctor's student!_' he thought and shuddered at the mental image of Orochimaru. After his 'punishment' from Naruto last time, he never wanted to go near that man. Being the doctor's assistant for an hour had been one of the most traumatizing experiences of his life.

"Come on kid, or are you going to let me do all the work?" Kabuto called as he dodged a punch. Konohamaru growled and raced forward, bringing his leg down for a kick on the soldeir's wounded shoulder.

"I'm not a kid!"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto bit back another curse as he shoved the large, mutated dog off of him. It growled and snapped angrily as he rolled over it, and with a final crack he snapped its neck, the animal's body going limp beneath him. He didn't know what was with the people in this agency and their mutated animals but seriously.<p>

'_I wonder if Henry Broccoli the First is going to turn into some flesh-eating monster,_' he thought and then shook his head. '_Knowing Orochimaru, that would just make him like it more._'

Pushing away ridiculous thoughts of Orochimaru feeding a severed arm to an enraged green llama, he turned in time to deliver a crushing kick to the next beast that was trying to tear him apart. He had seen a few of the animals run past him and hoped that the others weren't getting mauled by the creatures.

A vicious snarl made him spin around in time to deliver a sweeping kick to the next and final beast, knocking it back. This one was the largest one, and he was certain that if it straightened up, it would come to his mid-chest in total. Its fur was ragged and some areas seemed skinned while bloodied foam dripped from its gaping mouth, the chipped fangs looking painful to bear. Its eyes were wild and filled with bloodlust and Naruto narrowed his own in response.

'_This one is different to the others...It's worse._'

The beast lunged and instinctively Naruto lunged back. He continued to jump backwards, firing a shot towards the creature, but he missed as it jumped to the side. Shot after shot he fired but this creature was faster than the rest and he missed each time. It was difficult to keep a steady aim when he was moving backwards too.

He slammed into the wall and cursed, pushing to the side and hearing a crack as the beast rammed its snout into the plaster. It howled in violent rage and a clawed paw slashed down, catching Naruto's ankle as he dove out of the way. Blood spurted across the wall and the floor while Naruto groaned, rolling across the ground before he righted himself. He pulled his arms up, crossing them over his face to stop the oncoming attack. The fangs sunk into his crossed arms and he yelled out, arching backwards to stop the claws from slicing his stomach open.

Blood was running down his injured limbs as he struggled against the beast before finally he got in a kick and knocked it back. Stumbling away from it, he hissed darkly as the pain began to recede as his wounds healed. The slightest sign of steam accompanied the rapid regeneration of his skin cells and he heaved his breaths to fight the strange heaviness settling on his chest. The beast was growling at him, getting closer with each step. His eyes slid around for his gun, and he scowled at seeing it lying behind the creature, near the wall.

Another deep growl met his ears and he focused on eye contact. The blue of his eyes began to change, the edges becoming bloodshot and tingeing red as his body throbbed with adrenaline. His head was getting lighter and he vaguely realized that it felt similar to the time that he was in the elevator, right after he was first injected with the virus.

'_The blood loss must have triggered something,_' he thought, his right leg weakening and making him stumble briefly. In that second the beast came charging forward again, a howl of anger filling the hallway as spittle and red foam flew out from its mouth. Naruto matched the howl with an roar, sprinting forward and reaching out his arms. His hands caught the largest fang in that gaping mouth and with a jerk, he snapped it in half. The sickening crack of breaking tooth didn't stop his quick motions as he spun, his back brushing the moving side of the beast before he brought down his hands, sinking the broken fang right into its back and cracking into its spine.

The heavy thud of its body hitting the floor lasted briefly under its pained whine before it stilled, blood seeping out from the deep wound and staining across the floor. Naruto stood over it, arms limp while he sucked in deep breaths. Sweat dripped down his head and he took a step back, thumping into the wall and groaning.

"...The virus deactivated," he mumbled, aching pain starting to tingle through his body. He felt himself sliding down the wall slowly, but braced his legs. "Not yet Uzumaki...Gotta go help the bastard out," he growled, pushing himself up. It took all of his strength and he moaned again, wiping out some sweat from his eyes. Sucking in deep breaths he tried to get over the heavy weight on his shoulders. He tacked this strange exhaustion to the even stranger reaction of the virus earlier. He had felt the shift in it. Like the elevator, it had been different from other times.

His steps faltered occasionally, but he continued to make his way towards the elevator, fighting the blurriness in his vision and chanting to himself that he needed to be there for his bastard of a lover.

'_Don't worry Sasuke...I'm coming..._'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The sounds of battle could be heard even in the dark and gloomy room of his underground office. He clenched his hands together tightly, his teeth sinking into his lip out of anger.<p>

"My my, it seems the agents are winning," the airy voice of Zetsu was annoying in his ears.

"Shut up."

"Who would've imagined that all this work would've gone down the drain...all because of some decrepit old fool and his two golden boys," Zetsu continued, ignoring his earlier statement. With a growl, he grabbed the empty bottle of scotch beside him and hurled it at the green-haired scientist.

At the last second, Zetu's head bent to the side, the bottle zooming past and smashing against the wall behind him. His eyes had gone blank, almost rolling up in his head while that vacant smile that usually hung on his face vanished, replaced with deep lines of a frown.

"Such a rude leader," he drawled, his voice croaky and deep.

Orange hair shifted slightly as the leader settled back into his seat, eyes narrowing at the scientist. "Oh, and here I thought you'd never come out again," he speculated aloud. Zetsu chuckled, the deep throaty rumble sounding painful.

"He got bored of your tantrums..."

The leader scoffed, turning his eyes back to the papers in front of him. He had every last ounce of their research here before him. All the formulas, locations, test subjects names...everything. These papers were the founding of his research, and with them he could start over again in a new location; one where those pesky agents wouldn't join in.

"So you're planning to run?" Zetsu croaked, slinking over to him and staring at the papers with blank eyes. "Whatever happened to a captain always goes down with his crew?"

"You're one to talk...When things get too boring for you, you just slip away and let your other personality back in," the leader countered, causing the scientist to chuckle again.

"Such is the habit of multiple-personality Zetsu," he croaked before letting out a husky laugh. "And it looks like we've got company, oh esteemed leader."

Their heads turned towards the doors as they were casually pushed open.

"My my, it took me a bit to figure it out but we found you at last," Jiraiya said cheerfully as he walked in. Behind him were four others, all flanking his sides and preventing escape.

A pale raven, his visage rivalling that of Sasuke, was staring at them emotionlessly. Beside him was a man with a scar across his nose and his chocolate hair tied back into a knot. On Jiraiya's other side were two other men, one with a bandana wrapped around his head and his long black fringe covering one eye, along with a chin-guard. His companion had wild spikes and a bandage across his nose.

All of them were alert and watching the two in the room with the eyes of a hawk.

A tense silence followed Jiraiya's words before a low, menacing chuckle broke it. Slowly, the shadow-drowned leader stood up, sliding the papers off the table and tucking them securely in his pockets.

"It has been a while...Master Jiraiya."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, his lips pulling into a dark frown. His subordinates tensed around him, eyes flitting back and forth as the leader slowly started to walk into the light.

Spiked orange hair, bloodshot and purple-dyed eyes and piercings littering his face. The group of agents tensed, realizing this man looked extremely similar to the specialised soldiers they had fought to get down here. But the aura around him was different. While the others had been mindless and empty, he exuded power and darkness.

"That voice..." Jiraiya mumbled, trying to remember where he'd heard it before.

Like a flash of lightening, a memory resurfaced in his head and he gasped. With wide eyes he took in the man standing in the light.

"Could it be..." he stepped back, disbelief colouring his face as he stared at the person he'd thought was dead for years.

"Yahiko!"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>Oooh! Cliffy! (sorta...)<strong>

**Well, who's the leader? You all know the character, I'm assuming, but what is his past and personality in this story? :3 I haz it all planned out...somewhat. ¬_¬**

**I hopeth you all enjoyed the chapter! More action in the next one! In fact, I'll be kind and give you some hints as to what you might see.**

**Recently I was looking over this story and I went through a list of what I'd included...**

**The list went something like this:**

**Gun fights: check.  
><strong>

**Sword play: check.**

**Hand to hand combat and training: check.**

**Evil labs: ****check.**

**Large corporate buildings and a nightclub scene: check.**

**Fight on a helicopter/plane and train: check.**

**Flashback: check.**

**Carnival, ordinary day scene: check.**

**Romance between maind characters: check.**

**Wild, violent and otherwise strange animals: check.**

**And so on...but then, when the list was finished, I realized there was something I DIDN'T have yet! (No, fangirls, not a lemon. Lemon scented chapters are the best you're gonna get)**

**What I didn't have...is a CAR CHASE SCENE!**

**:3 So, guess what you have to look forward to!**

**Please leave a review with your thoughts on the chapter! See you all next chapter! And THANK YOU once again for all the support and reviews for this entire story! I LOVETH YOU GUYS! *smothers with love***


	21. SplitSecond Change

**Okay, first off...Sorry this is a bit late! *bows***

**Second! ... No car chase in this chapter. *quickly waves hands* THERE WILL BE A CAR CHASE, but it'll be in the next one. I was trying to get this finished, and then I realized that the fights in this one took up a substantial amount of space... this chapter is close over 10,000 words! That's pushing it for a single chapter! But I didn't think cutting out most of this would've helped the story in anyway, so I'm making the car chase in the next chapter. This chapter includes some important things too! And I think some of the fights are my more well-written ones...**

**Anyway, again sorry for the wait and the delay on the epic car chase. That'll come next chapter and I promise to make it as exciting as I can.**

**But big news... You all finally get some kind of clearance on a big mystery that's been in this story. (many people have guessed, now it shall be partially revealed)**

**Warnings: language, violence****, ect.**

**Disclaimer: Ha ha.**

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>"Yahiko," Jiraiya hissed, hand resting on the butt of his gun while the agents around him flinched violently and drew their own weapons. "We thought you were dead."<p>

Yahiko smirked down at the group while Zetsu watched from behind, throaty groans emitting from his mouth every now and then.

"You always were quick to jump to conclusions, Master Jiraiya," he drawled, eyes narrowed on the agents before him. They were the reason his plans were falling to ruins. All the agents.

"Yahiko! Explain yourself!" the brunet behind Jiraiya yelled, his face contorting in anger and the scar across his nose becoming more pronounced.

"I don't have to explain myself to anyone, least of all you second rate agents," Yahiko retorted, ice lacing his tone and making the others shiver. Jiraiya held a hand out, a silent signal to his team.

"Don't let your guard down for a moment. He's no longer the man we knew before," he whispered.

"Yes sir," the four replied softly, tensing in preparation for any attacks that may be thrown their way.

Yahiko smirked, taking another step forward. "You and your pesky allies have given me enough trouble. I know that it's pointless to try and salvage this wretched facility now," he took another step, his eyes glaring right into theirs. The brunet behind Jiraiya trembled at the look, feeling the intensity of hatred being directed their way. His hand shook before he cursed himself and forced his hands to steady. The two on his left were standing close together, their breathing short and soft. The only ones who seemed calm were the pale raven and Jiraiya himself, but their frames were rigid and wound tight.

"I'll only tell you once," Yahiko continued. "Move out of my way, or you'll all die here."

"If anyone is going to have to die here, it will be you!" Jiraiya snapped and three shots went off as he suddenly crouched. The four behind him scattered, two jumping to the sides while two flipped forward over Jiraiya. More gunfire filled the air as they all took a shot at Yahiko.

His eyes narrowed and he spun, his long black coat flying out around him. Under the cover of the cloth he bent backwards, almost impossibly so, and avoided the three bullets that zoomed overhead. His eyes swivelled downwards, seeing the fourth bullet coming towards him. His right hand touched the floor and he pressed all his weight onto it, propelling his body in a circle similar to a dance, avoiding the bullet before flipping backwards and landing on his desk. His coat lay on the floor, three exit holes in the material while the bullets had slammed into the wood of his desk stand. He looked up, focusing on the three agents in front of him. Without looking he could tell that two agents were attacking from either side of him.

"Zetsu," he mumbled, "Let's deal with them quickly and make our escape."

The scientist just nodded before his head lolled to the side as if the effort to hold it up was too much for his neck. His lips had turned a sickly dark purple, almost black, with his shift in personality and a creepy grin showed yellowing teeth.

"Here I come!" he groaned, faltering in his steps briefly before he suddenly took off, running at a speed that no ordinary man was capable of. He cut off the agent approaching from the left, seeing it was the scarred brunet.

"Oh, the shaky one?" he croaked and brown eyes widened at his sudden appearance. With a laugh, Zetsu ducked down briefly before flinging himself backwards, his foot slamming into the underside of the agent's jaw. With a grunt of pain, the agent went flying backwards, skidding on the ground before coming to a stop, blood and saliva running out of his broken jaw.

"Dolphin!" the bandaged-agent cried, focusing on his comrade even as he ran towards Yahiko from the right. His lapse in concentration cost him highly, as Yahiko took the opportunity to spin around, grabbing the chair from behind his desk. He hurled it at the man and its legs slammed straight into his stomach, digging into his flesh and striking his solar plexus with deadly accuracy. He choked on his own air, pain shooting through his body as he started to stumble back from the force of the blow. He didn't even have time for the chair to fall before Yahiko launched himself towards him, feet making direct contact with the seat of the chair. He drove it even further into the man's body, earning a choked and highly pained squeak to emit from the agent's mouth.

"Pathetic," he deadpanned and pushed off from the chair, letting the agent slam into the wall and slide down, blood dripping down his chin while his eyes rolled back in his head.

"No, Metal!" the agent with the chin-guard turned to Yahiko, eyes blazing in rage. "You fucking bastard!" he roared, charging forwards despite Jiraiya's motions for him not to.

"Dammit," Jiraiya cursed, reaching behind him for the satchel that stored all his gadgets. Before his hand could close around his desired object, Zetsu had appeared in front of him, grinning manically. "Shit—"

"Boom!" Zetsu cheered, thrusting his fist forward. Jiraiya twisted, avoiding the punch and jerking his elbow up. He caught Zetsu's chin, and the scientist fell backwards with a whining cry. "Ouch! This old geezer hits hard!"

Jiraiya scowled and flipped forwards, using his hands to give himself a boost before he swung down, striking Zetsu on the head with the heels of his shoes. A crack was heard upon impact and Zetsu looked dazed, his eyes rolling up while his mouth gaped open.

Jiraiya smirked, ready to deliver the last blow to make sure this creep was out of commission. He didn't get the chance when a body slammed into his. He grunted, looking down and seeing his hasty comrade in his arms. He was unconscious, his eye swollen shut and blood leaking from his broken nose. It looked like he'd taken a powerful kick to the face. Sliding along the floor, Jiraiya quickly but gently lowered the man down.

"Sai, we need to end this now!" he called.

The pale raven nodded, eyes watching Yahiko with cool detachment.

"Sai, eh? I remember you," Yahiko mumbled, turning his focus to the young male. "You were one of the youngest children to be trained, as I recall. You went through some brutal regimens under old man Danzou's training schedules, back before he was kicked out. And to think you're still alive."

"My training has nothing to do with our current situation, mister Yahiko," Sai said, a pleasant smile on his face. His tone was sweet and polite, as if they were discussing their favourite foods rather than facing each other in a fight. "What we need to focus on is how much blood I can draw from your sorry veins, and whether or not you'll have enough sense in that ugly head of yours to repent for your heinous sins against humanity and my comrades," Sai finished, tilting his head to the side and never losing his smile.

Yahiko snorted softly. "Impudent little shit."

Sai moved like lightening, sprinting forward. He pulled out two long daggers from pouches at his hips. With quick movements he threw each dagger towards Yahiko. The moment his hands were free he turned into a 360 spin, pulling out two pistols and stopping with his feet set apart, aiming straight for his enemy's leaping figure. His face was blank, lips set in a straight line as he began to fire repeatedly.

The constant sound of gunfire was loud, each crack echoing off the metal walls and rebounding back onto the next set of booms. The flashes from the shots were like strobe lights in a club and Jiraiya wondered how the boy never even blinked as he followed Yahiko's path with his guns.

Yahiko had easily dodged the daggers, but he knew they were merely a distraction. He pushed to the side and started to run along the edge of the room, running up along the wall at one point to avoid the deadly streams of bullets. He turned his head, regarding Sai carefully.

Sai briefly stopped firing, unclicking the ammo clips from his guns. He reached into his pack, pulling out two more and throwing them in the air. While they were airborne he dug into his pouches for two small grenades. Using his teeth, he pulled out the rings and threw them both at Yahiko. Then he spun his guns and swept them through the air, easily sliding the clips into place before cocking both pistols and turning around so that his back was to the explosion that went off a second later.

Yahiko had seen the grenades and cursed. Sai had thrown them, not at him, but to the area he was going. He had built up too much momentum to change in time and so the grenades landed right where he was before they went off. Fire and smoke erupted around him while the floor shook from the force of the explosions.

Jiraiya covered his eyes briefly, his lips pulling up into a grin while he watched Sai stand there so nonchalantly even as bits of rubble fell from the ceiling and bounced off of his shoulders. It was such a pity that Sai was a double-agent normally and therefore his records of success and skill were filed differently to the rest. If he wasn't a specialised agent, he would've beaten Naruto in skills. Jiraiya chuckled to himself, knowing that Naruto would always get frustrated when reminded that Sai was more skilled than him. The only reason for that, however, was Sai's lack of social skills and emotions when it involves non-spy missions. The man was like a machine and therefore never hesitated or stopped to think on his actions. He just went ahead with cold logic and no remorse. Naruto, bless his soul, still acted like a human being even when he was facing a horde of vile, disgusting scumbags that put the human race to shame.

Jiraiya was about to commend Sai on a job well done when is senses kicked in and his eyes widened.

"Sai! Watch out!" he warned.

Sai spun around, a look of surprise flashing over his face when Yahiko emerged from the fiery zone. He had shed his second layer of clothing, now reduced to a black vest and his long pants which were clinging to his legs, along with his shoes. His arms were scarred and muscled, showing years upon years of training and self-harm. To top it off, there were marks of injections everywhere, and a recent patch was on his right arm.

"I see...so you injected yourself with the virus too," Sai mumbled. Yahiko smirked.

"Who better to test it on than myself?"

Sai didn't answer, instead aiming at the man and starting another barrage of bullets. But this time, Yahiko was prepared. He ran forwards, straight into the line of fire and jumped. Sai followed his trail, still firing. Yahiko chuckled as he flew over the man, Sai's bullets slamming into the light above. The raven's eyes widened as he plunged the room into darkness and a curse bubbled out of his throat. Light from the burning rubble was all that was left and the flickering shadows it caused would make it easy for Yahiko to escape.

Jiraiya tensed, moving to the door to try and block the way. He had his gun at the ready, mentally checking the amount of bullets left in the clip.

He heard a rush of wind and ducked to the side, hearing the clink of metal hitting metal. As he straightened up, he was met with Yahiko's bloodshot eyes. The irises were burnt a sickening purple and Jiraiya realized with horror that it was a result of constant drug tests and chemical exposure.

"What happened to you?" he asked, sadness in his voice. Yahiko didn't answer, and Jiraiya grunted as a blade was shoved into his gut, slicing through his flesh. He grabbed the object, trying to still its path, but there was no need.

Yahiko released it the moment he had hunched over and Jiraiya knew he was escaping. A brief look around the dimly lit room confirmed that he had taken Zetsu's body with him.

"Sir!" Sai called, rushing over to him the moment he realized what had happened.

"Call this in! Tell them...the leader is making a break for it," Jiraiya gasped, clasping a hand on Sai's shoulder. "Also, tell them that he's a high dangerous ex-agent. And we need medical assistance down here soon for our team," Jiraiya groaned, collapsing onto the floor. It had been a long time since he got stabbed and he had forgotten just how painful it was. Damn, and the younger generations dealt with this often?

Sai was hastily speaking into his communicator, barking out information and orders like a military sergeant.

"Don't worry sir, they're sending a team of medics and back-up down now. Just hang in there," Sai said, crouching over his commander. His eyes slid over his surroundings, checking for danger.

"Sai...shouldn't you go after them?" Jiraiya huffed. Sai looked down and shook his head.

"No sir...Naruto would bludgeon me to death if he found out I left you alone and injured like this," he said sincerely. Jiraiya laughed but quickly stopped, the pain from his stomach making sure of that. "Besides...this is Naruto's mission. He'll be the one to finish it. Him and that loser partner of his."

Jiraiya smiled. He had trained good agents.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sakura shuddered as she hurried through the halls, following the directions Shikamaru given her as she and her small team of medics went in search of Jiraiya and his group. She passed by Anko, giving a nod of confirmation while the woman pointed them in the right direction.<p>

"Take care of yourselves down there!" Anko called, watching the team retreat down the hall before she turned her attention back to the other side. Setting the right channel, she waited for the static to die down in her ear before speaking.

"This is Agent Snakebite. Requesting reports on all situations!" she barked.

"Agent Byakugan reporting in. We've cleared out three more floors and taken down one special soldier. So far we haven't encountered any leaders," Neji's reply was curt and to the point.

"Roger that agent, keep going," Anko urged and waited for more.

"This is Agent Jyuuken," Hinata's soft voice made Anko wonder what the woman had been thinking when she signed up. "I was separated from Agent Kid a while ago and have cleared up one floor. We too took out a special soldier. I'm searching for him now."

"Right, be careful," Anko replied, slinging her gun over her shoulder and changing the channels again. "Shikamaru, can you give me a location on Agent Kid?"

"One moment."

She heard movement down the hallway and turned, seeing some of Kiba's scouts dragging an unconscious agent down the hall. She quickly moved over, picking up the beaten man and moved to take him to the building entrance where the rest of the medics would take care of him.

"Got him. He's in the eight floor, currently in battle against one of the special soldiers. But he's got some help," Shikamaru mumbled, tilting his head.

"Who is it?" Anko asked, moving back to her position by the elevator and wondering what risks she'd be taking by going to the eighth floor.

"...I think it's that Kabuto guy," Shikamaru shrugged, having never met the man but matching the description to the person he currently saw through the security feed cameras.

Anko smirked. "In that case, Kid will be just fine. What about Kyuubi and Sharingan?"

"No response from them. They're in the upper stories of the building, right near the roof but there are no cameras there."

Anko bit her lip, feeling apprehensive. "...I hope they're okay."

"Me too," Shikamaru murmured, looking out of the van and up to the roof of the building.

'_Watch yourselves guys. It would be troublesome if the main agents for this entire mission get iced at this point._'

Meanwhile, three floors down from the roof, Kakashi was casually jumping backwards as the orange-haired soldier made mad slashes towards him. His hands were in his pockets, shoulders hunching ever now and then as he manoeuvred his body into perfect dodges. He hadn't gotten hit once and he hadn't even needed to use his hands. His hair fluttered about his face, straining against the small clip he'd used to pin it out of his eyes so that he had maximum visibility. His other eye was scarred and it hurt to keep it open for prolonged periods of time, but sometimes having a one-eyed perspective was a hindrance.

"Whoop!" He jumped up and landed right on his opponents outstretched arm. With a cheerful smile behind his mask, he tip-toed along his arm until he was standing on his shoulder and pulled his leg back. "This may sting," he quipped before swinging his leg forward. His foot collided with the soldier's face, crunching against his nose and sending him back while Kakashi pushed off, back flipping through the air and landing on the floor with ease. His hands had never left his pockets.

The soldier turned to face him, blank-faced as ever despite the blood spurting down his rapidly healing nose. Since he hadn't bothered to move it back into place, the bone healed in the mangled, awkward angle.

"Now, you shouldn't have done that!" Kakashi chided. "You were ugly enough as it was."

The attacker lunged again, sliding across the floor before kicking upwards. Kakashi bent backwards to avoid the kick, looking at the ceiling while he thought of his next move. An idea came to him so he continued to bend back, moving his hands to brace himself on the ground. Using the momentum from his fall, he propelled his body into a spin, spreading his legs into a deadly tornado kick that slammed into his enemy's chest. He was about to smile when he felt a thick hand wrap around his ankle.

"Oh dear—"

He grunted when he was thrown across the hall, slamming violently into the wall and hearing the plaster crack under the force. Pain tingled up his back and he fell to his knees, shaking his head.

'_That strength... I was right, I can't take more than three direct hits like that or else I'll be finished. I have to stop him without getting hit again,_' he thought, rolling away quickly when the soldier made another grab for him.

He reached back into his small pouch, pulling out the extendable blade that Chouji had so kindly given to him. Easily sliding it out, he flicked it to the side, hearing the sharp zip of metal as the blade unhooked and streamed out. The blade glinted in the light, reflecting Kakashi as he stood at the ready, waiting for an attack. He stared his opponent in the eyes, waiting for him to make the first move like he knew he would. Blank purple stared into his own mix-matched eyes and he waited with baited breath for something to happen.

A lock of his hair escaped from the small clip, fluttering down into his eye. He flinched, closing the affected eye to save it.

In that moment, his enemy moved, racing forward. Kakashi cursed, pushing himself backwards to avoid the spinning kick that came his way. With his enemy's back to him, he pulled the blade forward and swung down. An arm bent back, grabbing the blade and halting its path. Blood spurted out and dripped down the soldier's arm, but the man paid it no mind as he turned his body around, still keeping a tight hold on the blade.

'_So they don't even feel pain?_' he wondered, straining to keep his hold on the weapon. He could hear it creaking ominously and bit back a frustrated growl. '_This is starting to look worse. I've been out of action for too long,_' he thought.

Just as he finished that thought, the blade snapped. Grunting from the sudden jolt to his arm, he quickly rushed forwards, jumping and landing on his enemy's shoulder. Using his momentum he leapt into the air and twisted his body around into a nose dive. He thrust his arm forward, using the jagged edge of the blade he still had to slice into the soldier's shoulder. He felt the blade strike against bone pushed off, leaving the dagger behind. As soon as he landed he reached back, grabbing something else in his pouch.

He turned around and felt a powerful fist sink into his stomach just as his hand shot out, shoving the other object down the front of the soldier's vest. Then he was flying backwards from the blow and with a pained yell he collided against the wall again, feeling it crater slightly under the impact. He slid to his knees, panting for breath while his hand went to his ribs. He knew one was broken and tenderly pressed against the area, feeling the loose bone with a wince. Hearing footsteps he looked up and saw his opponent calmly walking towards him. A slow smile spread over his face, hidden by his mask.

"Sorry," he breathed, "but our time is up." He held up his hand, displaying the activation ring from a grenade. The soldier stopped, their face finally showing a look of surprise and they grabbed at their shirt.

Kakashi lowered his head, feeling his hair swaying badly from the shockwaves of the explosion. The sound of something squelching made him feel slightly nauseous, but he had long ago learned to tame his stomach.

Coughing up some blood and excess saliva, he weakly reached for his communicator even while he took in the scattered remains of his enemy. His arm went halfway before the pain throbbed even worse than before and he dropped the limb with a gasp.

'_Crap...Looks like I'm going to have some trouble,_' he thought with frustration. A pattering of feet made him look up and he saw one of Kiba's scout dogs running towards him. The animal stopped by his side, sniffing and nuzzling his face briefly as it identified him as a friend. Kakashi stroked its paw as it was the only part he could reach without lifting his arms. The tag on the dog's collar read 'Pakkun'.

"Good...Pakkun," Kakashi mumbled, trying to keep talking to a minimum. Pakkun sniffed at him some more, his stubby tail wagging slightly before he turned and raised his head in a loud howl. He continued to howl while staying by Kakashi until finally footsteps were heard.

"Scarecrow!"

Kakashi tiredly turned his head, smiling slightly under his mask when Kiba rushed over to him and knelt down.

"Don't worry, I'll get you to the medics now!" Kiba insisted, moving to slide his arm under Kakashi's and lift him up. He turned to the dog, reaching out his free hand and stroking his head. "Good job Pakkun!" he praised, giving a small treat from his satchel to the happy canine before he hoisted Kakashi up and started to make his way towards the elevators. "Damn, this place has turned into a madhouse!"

"How are...the others?" Kakashi wheezed, trying not to move and jolt his broken rib any more than necessary. Not to mention that his body felt like lead.

"Byakugan and Green Beast have cleared out most of the floors in the centre of the building and so far have taken down one of those special solidiers. Jyuuken and Kid took down another before getting separated, but Shikamaru found him and Kabuto dealing with a third soldier. Also, a moment ago Sai radioed in and requested medics to his location," Kiba explained as the doors slid open and he stepped out into the lobby, walking past the corpses of the guards. "It turns out the leader of his whole thing was Yahiko."

"Yahiko?" Kakashi asked, his eyes widening. "You mean one of Jiraiya's first students? The one that was part of the Unstoppable Trio?"

Kiba nodded, carefully picking his way over the glass on the floor and keeping a tight hold on Kakashi. "Yep. The one and the same. It seems his unconfirmed 'death' is finally thrown out the window. We don't know what happened to make him go rogue, but he's been the one behind this whole thing."

"What about his teammates? His brother, Nagato, and their friend Konan?" Kakashi asked even as he was placed under the care of the medics who quickly started to examine him. Kiba stood nearby, hands in his pockets.

"No idea. Neither of them have been reported in and it seems safe to say that they haven't had any part in this. For all we know they could be dead," he shrugged.

Kakashi hissed as his broken rib was prodded and he closed his eyes. "If it's Yahiko they're chasing, Sasuke and Naruto are in for the fight of their lives," he murmured.

Kiba nodded, turning his head to look outwards at the building.

'_Wherever you guys are, you'd better be in one piece!_'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke grunted as he was shoved backwards, the sparks of two blades colliding following his movement. He quickly regained his footing, bringing up his blade to counter the downward slash aimed at his head. Kisame's blade screeched violently against his, the jagged edges catching and scratching his own smooth edge like an angered feline. He gritted his teeth, using all his strength to hold the man off. Kisame was undoubtedly one of the strongest opponents he'd ever faced! His strength was incredible, the result of endless years of hard training undoubtedly.<p>

"Not bad, Cockatoo," Kisame said, forcing more of his weight onto his side of the swords, causing the blades to edge even further towards Sasuke. The raven's arms trembled under the weight but he held strong, glaring darkly at his opponent.

Kisame chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the dark look he was receiving. It only proved that he was ahead in this fight. He pulled his arm back, causing Sasuke to lurch forward at the sudden loss of opposition, and Kisame rammed his fist into the man's stomach.

Sasuke grunted, having tightened his muscles just before impact, but the blow was still coursing through his body as he pulled away and slashed towards Kisame's feet. The swordsman jumped, avoiding the low cut and brought his elbow down. Sasuke pulled his body to the side, avoiding the jab. He balanced himself on one hand, bringing his legs up to wrap around Kisame's knees. With a complicated twist of his body he floored the man, hearing the clatter of his sword on the ground. Kisame grinned up at him from the floor, readjusting his hold on his beloved Samehada and ramming it down to try and skewer Sasuke through his stomach.

The Uchiha just realized his intent in time and kicked away, forcing himself to slide across the floor and away from the man. He spun the sword in his hand to get a better hold on it, hearing the handle creak under his grip. His eyes slid down to it, hoping it would last.

"Don't get distracted!"

Kisame's foot slammed into his shoulder, knocking Sasuke backwards. He peered through his lashes, teeth gritted tightly in pain, and saw that Kisame was using his sword as a pole to balance on as he moved. The shark-like man pushed off, taking his sword out of the ground and raced forward, slashing through the air. Sasuke jumped, arching his back to avoid the hit. Kisame had predicted this and spun, bringing his fist out into a powerful backhand that made Sasuke's entire world shake as he stumbled backwards. His head was in a daze and he saw Kisame flying towards him. In a second he felt as if someone had just shoved him in front of a speeding train. The force of the man's body slamming into his made him feel like it was impossible to breathe. He flew backwards, unable to halt his course, until his back hit glass. The impact made the flimsy barrier shatter and Sasuke's eyes bulged as he realized he was falling out the window.

With a yell, he tried to grab the windowsill, but he realized ahead of time he wouldn't make it. Taking a last ditch effort to save his skin, he rammed the sword towards the wall, almost crying with joy when it found an opening and slid in, securing him. He was hanging by his arm, so high above the city streets. He couldn't even remember how many floors this building had, but he dare not look down. He could tell by the fierce wind around him and the frigid cold that he was high enough.

A menacing chuckle met his ears and he looked up, trying to readjust his hold on the sword. He heard it creak and panic started to flare in his chest. If the sword broke under his weight, he was dead.

Kisame's face appeared out the shattered window, leering down at him with sadistic glee.

"Well, it looks like you've reached the end of the line!" he said cheerfully, eyes glinting. "Too bad. I had hoped that you would put up more of a challenge."

Sasuke growled, trying to pull himself up to grab the man and hopefully pull him out the window. But as soon as he put effort into lifting himself up, the sword creaked ominously and he lost his nerve, grabbing wildly at the wall to try and find some sort of foothold.

"Either way, it's been fun!" Kisame said, starting to raise his sword.

Sasuke stared up at him with unguarded wide eyes. He was going to die! No, no he couldn't die! He had to survive! People were counting on him! He had Naruto to watch out for! The idiot wouldn't last long without him, he just knew it.

"No!" he said, the word slipping out involuntarily. Kisame paused, quirking a blue brow in amusement as he realized that Sasuke was on the verge of begging. "No, don't!"

Kisame's grin was maniacal as he raised his arm again, ready to cut off Sasuke's hand and watch as the raven plummeted towards the far streets below, turning into nothing but a bloodied mess at the bottom.

"Goodbye, agent," he called, raising his arm higher.

Sasuke's eyes felt ready to fall from his head and his life flashed before his eyes. He saw everything he'd been through, from his younger days to the morning, where he was spending time with Naruto.

'_Naruto..._'

Kisame let out a small yelp when something slammed into his sword, knocking it right from his grip. His eyes widened in horror as he watched his precious Samehada falling to the streets, and he leant further out the window as if hoping it would come back. Sasuke was wide eyed, also glancing down to see the sword falling fast before looking up. Kisame was livid, his arrogant smile replaced with a snarl. Slowly, he turned his head to look at whoever had shot his best sword from his grip. He paused, seeing the man behind him.

"Well...I should have known it would be you," he said, voice quieter than before. "Of course, I had my doubts, but you've cleared them all up now."

He straightened up, ignoring Sasuke. The raven used his distraction to try and pull himself back up. He tried to pay no attention to the creaking of his blade as he hoisted himself up. He reached up, trying to grab onto the ledge.

Kisame took another step away from the window, eyes meeting those of his newest enemy. "So, I guess this means that you were behind all those little mishaps in the labs. You were responsible for the missing data? My my," he chuckled, running a hand through his hair before looking through his fingers at the stoic man before him. "You're certainly a brilliant little weasel, Itachi."

Itachi smirked, his gun still raised up as he stood directly across from his colleague. "I find it a pity that you are intent on remaining a criminal. You held great potential to be an agent," he said sincerely. Kisame snorted loudly, starting to walk to the side and circling Itachi.

"So you're an agent?" he asked, but Itachi shook his head.

"Incorrect. I was supposed to be. I was trained by my parents to be the best," he matched each step Kisame took, dark eyes focused on his face. "However, as you know, we never quite got to finish our training."

Kisame nodded in understanding. "So, why now? You've had plenty of opportunities to take us down before these agents could get so involved. I take it this isn't for the glory?"

"I had planned to take down this organization from the very beginning. However, I needed it to remain operative while I gathered...information...from its contacts in the underworld," Itachi shrugged lightly. "The agents caught on faster than I'd thought, so I was forced to speed my plans up. A feat that was near impossible if I didn't hire some...extra help," he tilted his head, coming to a stop by the window while Kisame did the same down the hall.

"So you've got people under you working to bring the organization down. Okay, fine," Kisame said, sliding his hands into his pockets. He was starting to feel excitement bubble inside him. He was angry at losing Samehada, but now he was certain that he could have a chance to fight Itachi. Quite the decent consolation prize, he had to admit. "You say you were supposed to be an agent. So does that mean the agency has no idea that you were helping them along?"

Itachi nodded slowly. "Much like most of the world, all the agents who knew me when I was younger believe I am dead. Well, they did until I revealed myself...to my foolish little brother."

Outside, Sasuke was catching snippets of the conversation. He felt dizzy, not only from the height and adrenaline coursing through him as he tried to save himself, but also from the new information going into his mind. Itachi was helping them from the beginning? But no, he tried to kill him! How could he be helping them if—

'_At Sasori's enterprise!_' his mind screamed, taking him back to the dark room, where someone had released them and injected Naruto with the virus which, ultimately, led them in the path to winning over the organization. '_It was...Itachi was the one to..._' He shook his head, feeling himself feel even worse with every thought of what his brother may or may not have done. '_No, focus on getting inside! Once I have my feet on a surface, I can...I can face him and find out what the fuck is going on!_'

Inside, Itachi's ears were strained to catch any sounds of Sasuke. He could hear, above the wind, the faint grunts that proved the younger Uchiha was still hanging on there.

"I'm sorry to cut our little conversation short, Kisame, but I really must hurry. I have to help my little brother and then assist him and his partner in catching Yahiko. So, if we can just hurry this along?" he said, waving his gun slightly to indicate that the man before him make his next move.

Kisame grinned. "Alright then."

And then he moved.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto's back hit the wall for the tenth time since he had started to walk down the hall. He was only one hallway away from the elevator, but his body felt like it was weighed down by a ten ton rock. He fell to his knees, barely managing to catch himself with his hands while the world spun rapidly.<p>

'_Aaw, I'm going to puke at this rate!_' he thought despairingly, his vision blurring and clearing repeatedly. His body was shutting down. That was the only thing he could think of. He must have made a bad mix of adrenaline and the virus during that last fight, and now his body was trying to shut down so that it could get back to normal.

'_Whatever, I'm still going to puke!_' he thought, landing on all fours and dry heaving for a moment. But somehow he managed not to vomit and he slumped to the side, breathing heavily. He cursed himself for this weakness he was feeling. Dammit, he had to get up to the top floors and help Sasuke! He had to make sure the raven was alright! But something in his gut was twisting and telling him that something was wrong.

And yet he couldn't move.

'_Fuck me...I need..._' his thoughts were getting jumbled now as exhaustion broke through the barriers, ready to suck him into its depths. He could only hope that everyone would be alright, that Sasuke would be alright, and that an ally would find him before an enemy did.

His eyes slid closed and he could feel his breathing beginning to slow as his consciousness started to truly wane. The heavy thuds he heard must've belonged to his heart, and when they came to a stop he wondered if he had been wrong about being tired. What if he was dying?

Something sharp jabbed into his side, and his entire body convulsed as something fiery hot spread out from the point of impalement. He let out a loud growl of pain as every muscle in his body contracted before relaxing and then repeating the process. His heart thudded painfully in his chest and he rolled onto his back, arching as the fire burned up.

Something was holding him down, trying to stop him from breaking anything as he twisted wildly.

Finally the pain started to die away, and in its place was energy. He was more awake than ever, as if he'd been pumped with caffeine and steroids. He panted, trying to catch his breath after all the pain and burning and moving, and finally he noticed who it was that was holding him down.

Two people.

Two near-identical, red-headed men.

'_Motherfucker, this cannot be happening!_'

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke was running out of breath as his fingers finally reached the windowsill. He hissed when a shard of glass still stuck in the frame slice against his hand, but he ignored the pain, working to get a solid grip. The blood slicked up his hand, but he found a good spot with plenty of friction. His muscles worked overtime as he pulled himself up. The side of the building was well-built and smooth, making it hard to get any kind of foothold. He was using all his upper body strength to get back inside. A soft chink alerted him that the sword had finally dislodged and was falling to the streets below. He clenched his jaw, grunting as he searched for another hand-hold while avoiding slicing his fingers off.<p>

He could hear the sounds of a fight much clearer now that he was closer to the window. The sound of metal meeting metal, and a gunshot going off only to be followed by a high pitched sound of a sword slashing through the air. He could hear brief bursts of laughter, easily identifiable as Kisame's, but not a sound was made by Itachi. Not a taunt, nor a laugh or even a sound of discomfort or pain.

He pulled himself up again, muscles straining and veins starting to protrude in his neck and forehead. Briefly, he managed to look into the building and the sight made his eyes widen and his mouth go dry in shock.

Itachi was like a robot. Every single step he took was visibly calculated, each smooth motion of his body like a well-planned dance. He avoided hits and slashes as if it were a game of chess. His hair was held in the same loose tie as it had been in the alley and the lab, and the long locks swished through the air every time he ducked or moved quickly. His face was perfectly smoothed out, no emotion whatsoever and no indication of his next move.

Kisame was grinning wildly, holding two swords and using them both with incredible skill. He was slashing, jumping, twisting, spinning...It looked like something straight out of the matrix with how often either of them was airborne, performing a complex move that was countered by the other.

Itachi drew back just as Kisame jumped forward, and Sasuke watched as one of Itachi's legs just came out of nowhere, foot sinking into Kisame's stomach and sending the large man backwards. He fell, rolling over once before straightening and flipping to his feet. With a soft growl, he tossed aside his two swords and pulled out the next. With a complicated flick of his wrist, the sword opened up, blades sliding out of blades until he was holding what appeared to be a large, wave-edged axe. He let it thud to the ground, the sharp edges sinking into the floor slightly.

Itachi stood calmly, gun aimed. He fired a shot that Kisame dodged before he began to charge, dragging his blade through the floor and upturning carpet and concrete.

With a loud roar Kisame swung the axe up, tearing through the floor and sending debris scattering through the air as the deadly edge of the blade soared towards Itachi. The raven slid his right foot back, tilting his back slightly with the motion. The blade of the axe gleamed in the light, reflecting in his eyes as it swung passed, inches from his nose. Despite the short distance, his expression remained the epitome of calm, as he quickly moved forward while Kisame's arms were occupied pulling the axe out of the powerful swing. He got up close and person, and Kisame's eyes widened at feeling the tip of the gun pressing against his stomach.

Sasuke heard a gunshot go off just as his hand slipped, and he cursed violently, scrabbling to get a good hold and hoist himself back in. The air was freezing around him and his hair flipped in the wind as he pulled himself up, panting. In the hallway, both men were motionless, face inches from the other. Blood dripped down onto the floor before Kisame pulled away, a hand pressed over his side.

"Just as I suspected...Itachi, you truly are unlike anyone I've ever fought before," Kisame said slowly, lips turned into a thoughtful frown. Itachi's eyes flickered darkly.

"Hn. You as well. You're the first person to ever manage to avoid a direct shot like that," he noted. He had his back to the window, but he knew that he was running out of time. Sasuke wasn't going to be able to pull himself up at this rate.

Kisame sensed the sudden shift in attention, and his eyes flickered over Itachi's shoulder to the raven that was struggling to climb in. Blood was smeared over the windowsill, making any kind of handhold near impossible. A wicked sneer curved his lips as he pressed his hand to his wound.

"Well—"

The crackle of a voice startled all of them even if none of them showed it. Sasuke almost lost his hold as his communicator crackled loudly before Anko's voice spoke out. In all his fighting, the device had dropped on the floor and was audible for everyone.

"_This is Agent SnakeBite! Red alert! The leader of the organization, Yahiko, is making his escape! All agents to the garage! Cut him off dammit! Don't let him go!_"

"Well, it looks like our time is up," Kisame finished, giving a mock bow while never taking his eyes off of the Uchiha before him. "Since our dear leader is leaving, I'd best catch a ride."

Itachi tensed as the man moved, a dagger flying his way. Before it got anywhere near him he was already moving to dodge, calculating its angle. His eyes widened minutely as he realized the dagger was not intended for him at all, but for behind him.

"Ha ha!" Kisame's laugh was loud and jeering as he flipped over Itachi and raced for the window. Itachi spun, firing shot after shot. A bullet caught Kisame's leg, but the man only grunted and continued to run. Blood splattered with every step, but he reached the window.

Sasuke had seen the dagger flying straight for him. In a ditch effort, he had let go with one hand to avoid it. Now he was struggling to get back that handhold, and he could feel his fingers slipping from the blood. Heavy steps and a shadow made him look up, eyes wide, and saw Kisame flying out the window. The man was grinning down at him as he passed over, and Sasuke followed his progress with his head. As Kisame fell past him, a hand grabbed his ankle and the force of the tug quickly dislodged his last hold.

"Fuck!" he screamed, feeling his hand let go just as the hold on his ankle vanished and Kisame started to fall in earnest. For a second, he hung in the middle of nowhere, his heart and soul taking a moment to realize that he should be falling to his death.

'_God help me!_' his mind screamed, unwilling to die. No, he couldn't die! Not now! Not when he'd found something worth living for again!

The rush of wind was brief, but the pressure around his wrist was lasting as he hit the side of the building, undoubtedly killing a few brain cells with the impact. Dazed, he looked around.

'_I am still God knows how many stories above the ground..._' he realized before a light bulb lighted over his foggy mind.

"I can fly!" he stated stupidly.

"Hn. If only," a voice grunted above him and he looked up. His face paled as he realized that Itachi was the one holding him up, bent over the windowsill and straining to keep his hold. His hair was flipping wildly in the wind, and the corners of his mouth were stretched in a strained scowl.

"...Why are you helping me?" Sasuke asked. Itachi looked irritated, and belatedly he realized that the conversation would've been best left until they were both inside.

But he needed to know.

"Why? Don't you want me dead?" he asked, his voice becoming rough as he spoke. He was scared, confused and still slightly dazed. Not a very good combination when one was Sasuke Uchiha.

"Foolish little brother," Itachi growled and for a terrifying second, Sasuke was sure the grip on his wrist was loosening and that Itachi was about to let him fall.

But then he was suddenly being hauled up, his legs knocking into the concrete before he was inside the building. He collapsed on the floor, trembling from all the wasted energy spent hanging over nothing. Itachi stood beside him, making no move to help him up, but also no move that could be considered a threat.

"I never wanted to kill you from the start. That would be utterly counterproductive and pointless," Itachi stated, smoothing down his shirt.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise when Sasuke rolled suddenly, getting away from him and standing up with a gun aimed at his face. With a small motion of his hand, he realized that Sasuke had cleverly picked up the gun he had discarded in his haste to stop the younger raven from plummeting to the streets and becoming nothing but a mess of blood, bone and dorky hair.

"Answer me now!" Sasuke snapped, glaring with all the hatred, anger, confusion and killer intent that he could muster. "Who are you really, what have you been doing and why the fuck are you helping me now?"

Itachi sighed, turning his entire body to face the only family he had left.

"I find it somewhat unfair that when I point a gun at you, I get a dumpster hurled at me, but when you point a gun at me, there's no complaint," he said blankly. It was his attempt at a joke, but Sasuke wasn't in the mood.

"That's because I'm a good guy, and not a lying, evil scumbag bent on destroying the world," Sasuke snarled, jabbing the gun at him. "Now answer my questions before I blow your fucking head off!"

"Idiot," Itachi snapped back and Sasuke looked genuinely surprised at being called an idiot. "I am Itachi Uchiha, your older brother, son of Mikoto and Fugaku Uchiha, and," he tilted his head in aggravation, "I'm also the one that's been risking his ass to help your pitiful agency take down this damn criminal group since the day that you and that moronic partner of yours got yourselves captured!"

Sasuke took a moment to divulge the information.

And then he laughed, disbelievingly. "You honestly expect me to believe that you're on my side?"

Itachi lifted his arms in a sweeping gesture. "You're alive, aren't you?" he said as if it were obvious.

Sasuke growled. "Don't fuck with me—"

"Mind your language," Itachi cut off, his tone condescending as he stared down at the agent. Sasuke froze solid, his eyes widening as the words seemed to ignite a fire in his memory. He recalled the dark room, being bound to a chair and struggling against restraints as someone injected Naruto and moved over to him. A hot puff of breath on his ear and that very same, condescending whisper...

"_Mind your language..._"

Itachi could see the recognition sparking in Sasuke's eyes and knew he had effectively made his point. He relaxed and took a step forward, raising his hand to knock away the gun. At the last second, Sasuke hardened his arm and stopped the motion.

"Don't," he growled and Itachi obligingly stopped, raising his hands.

"Hn. Alright. Ask away," he said simply.

Sasuke sucked in a shuddery breath. "You tried to kill me in the alleyway, behind the club—"

"Sasuke, I was trained by our parents, two top agents in their respective agencies. If I had wanted to kill you, you wouldn't be standing here with a gun in my face," Itachi said curtly.

Sasuke's lips turned in a snarl. "You're a part of this organization—"

"A front. A ruse. A way to gather information."

"What information?"

"Information on who killed our parents."

Sasuke's heart stuttered briefly. "...Who was it?" he asked in a whisper.

Itachi sighed heavily, looking burdened.

"I don't know yet. Whoever they are, they're good at staying hidden. I've been searching out every single lead I get, but so many times it has landed in a dead end. I only have a vague memory of seeing the person leaving the house that night. I went straight after them and I've been hunting them ever since, but it's been difficult."

"You left...You left me," Sasuke hissed, eyes gleaming in anger. "Alone! For years! I thought you were dead along with everyone else! And then you show up again, and the first thing you do is shoot at me in an alleyway?"

"_Pretended_ to shoot at you," Itachi corrected. "I knew that your partner was right there, and that he had the virus at his disposal. I knew he would take the bullet. I was merely testing the strength of the virus as well as casting away some suspicion on my person. Yahiko has been doubtful of me for a while. I had to do something."

"At the lab—"

"I was merely testing you. On that note, I feel it is my right to mention that it was me that gave your blond-haired partner the tip he needed to win against Kakuzu in a fight."

"Then the bombs in the lab?" Sasuke snapped. Itachi smirked.

"The very sneaky and clever work of my two associates."

"Associates?"

"Yes. When I realized just how quickly your agency was moving in, I knew that I would not be able to complete my side of the tasks without some help. So, I recruited some extra hands."

"Who?"

Itachi hummed nonchalantly. "Not important right now. What is important is that Yahiko is trying to escape. Sasuke, we have little time for this idle chit-chat. We need to go after him and stop him from getting away with the remaining data he has. Your agents are being kept busy by the swarms of useless thugs inside this building. Now, do you want to catch the bad guy and save the world?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at the agent. Sasuke's hand was trembling as Itachi watched him. Slowly, the older Uchiha motioned the gun with his hand. "Or would you prefer to wave that little toy around like a six-year old and force me to give you a hiding?" he added, smirking when a look of indignation fell over Sasuke's face.

Sasuke was at a loss. What did he do? Did he trust Itachi?

No, the idea was laughable. Just because Itachi was smooth with his words didn't mean he didn't have an ulterior motive. There had to be a catch. That was what all his years in training had taught him.

"If Yahiko is caught, what benefit do you gain?" he asked slowly, glaring at the raven that dared to associate himself with his name. "You will be brought in, and treated just the same. You were a part of their group. You have committed the same crimes—"

"I think you'll find my assistance in the entire ordeal much more substantial," Itachi cut in. Sasuke didn't know how to react. This man before him was different to the man in the alleyway. Gone was the cold robot that had aimed a gun at him. In its place was a person filled with sarcasm and a dry sense of humour, who seemed to be genuinely interested in catching the leader.

"Sasuke, I know you have more brains than you are currently displaying," Itachi drawled. He peered out the window. "Kisame has already landed safely—"

"What? How?" Sasuke asked.

"Undoubtedly he used his swords to slow his rapid descent against the wall. That man would've made a brilliant agent if he wasn't so intent on being such a criminal. It's a sad waste, really—"

"Enough!" Sasuke snapped and pressed a hand to his head. Anko's voice erupted from the communicator again, frantic and angry.

"_Goddammit are there any agents not currently trying to handle a bunch of idiot underlings? We need someone on Yahiko's tail! Sharingan! Kyuubi! What the hell are you idiots DOING?_!_"_

Sasuke growled, bending and snatching up the device. "Alright! I'm on it!" he roared before tossing it aside, anger blinding him. He had to find something to focus on to stop himself from going insane. For a second he stood still, letting his mind work to find a way to cope with everything. Finally, he latched onto a decision. He didn't know if he would regret it or not, but it was something he could work with for the time being and he would just have to clean up any messes later.

He turned around, facing Itachi. "Let's go."

Itachi was pleased. "So you're going to trust me—"

"No. You are my captive, my hostage. We're going after Yahiko, but do not mistake me. You make any move to try and double-cross me, and I'll have your heart looking like Swiss cheese," Sasuke snarled, shoving the pistol into the older Uchiha's face. Itachi sighed, but nodded.

"Very well. It's the best I can hope for. We need to hurry. Yahiko will undoubtedly try to escape via car. He has some nice models in the garages," Itachi said, pointing towards the elevator. "We need to go straight down, no stopping."

"Move," Sasuke commanded, and Itachi led the way to the elevator, Sasuke right on his tail. He pressed the button for the ground floor the moment they were inside. The doors slid closed and the elevator began to move, Sasuke keeping a gun to his back the entire time.

"...When we catch him, I'm taking you in along with him," Sasuke said eventually, his voice low. "...After that, you will have one chance to explain everything. And I mean absolutely _everything_."

Itachi nodded calmly. "I fully intended to tell you everything when this was over."

The doors opened up to reveal a garage, and they rushed out in time to see a sleek black car peeling out from its parking space. In the front seat was a man with wild orange hair and piercings. Sitting beside him was Kisame, wrapping some gauze on the wound in his shoulder. As the car screeched past, Yahiko shoved his arm out the window, a gun aimed at them.

"Get down!" Itachi snapped, jumped back and knocking into Sasuke. They both fell back, bullets slamming into the wall overhead. As they tumbled to the ground, the car raced from the garage, leaving behind smoke and tire-marks on the concrete.

"Shit! He's getting away!" Sasuke yelled, shoving himself to his feet.

"Not if we can help it," Itachi called, already running to another car and pulling the door open. "Get in, Sasuke!"

Sasuke ran to the other door and for a second he hesitated, looking back towards the building. This was his and Naruto's mission. He should be chasing the leader with the blond by his side.

"Get in!" Itachi snarled. He looked out to see what was taking his brother so long and paused, seeing the almost desperate look in Sasuke's eyes. His sharp mind easily pieced together what it was for. "...Your partner is fine. And he'll be joining us shortly, I can promise you that," he said.

Sasuke's head turned to him and he slid into the car, slamming the door even as Itachi revved the engine and zoomed out of the parking space.

"How do you know that?" Sasuke asked, grabbing the dashboard to steady himself as the car bounced over the bump just by the entrance. He cursed when he hit his head lightly on the roof, but ignored it as they reached the street. Itachi spun the wheel, the car going into a slide turn. Tires squealed, rubber burned and smoke rose up before they were jerking forwards, racing after the speeding car that housed their enemies. Itachi's eyes never left Yahiko's car even as he answered and Sasuke checked his gun for ammo.

"I've already taken this situation into account. If they have nearly as much competence as I think they do, my associates will be with your partner now, offering their assistance. They'll be following us the moment he accepts their help."

Sasuke violently cocked his gun, looking up through the windshield at the car they were chasing. Traffic was bad in this area, but Itachi was a master of the wheel it seemed. With cold eyes, Sasuke sucked in a deep breath and rolled down his window.

"You'd better be telling the truth, asshole," he growled. Itachi didn't spare him a glance, swerving to avoid another car before steadying. Sasuke reached his hand out, gripping the roof as he shifted up in his seat. "And you'd better not crash this car," he added before propping himself on the window, and holding out his gun. The hair whipped past his face, freezing at the speed they were going. But he only focused on the car that was trying to get away from them.

He began to count to eight.

**~ADB~**

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><p><strong>Aaah, *paces in circle scratching head furiously* I was struggling something fierce with that ending! I just...I didn't know how to go about it. I'm sorry, I think that as it went on, I just ended up being lamer and lamer with this chapter...I'll make it up with the next one and the car chase...I swear.<strong>

**I'll try to make the next update on time, but no promises. Even though I'm reaching the final chapters of this story (maybe only two more) it's becoming hard to wrap it up! I know what I WANT to happen, but fleshing things out is a different story!**

***sigh* Anyway. I hope you enjoyed nonetheless! Please leave a review with your thoughts!**


	22. The Final Stretch

**^_^ Hi everyone! As promised, the epic car chase of ADB! And plus, this car chase practically takes up the entire chapter...DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD THAT WAS! ? O_O Car chases are difficult to write, especially when you try to make them long! But... I somehow managed...I just hope it's as exciting as you all hoped it would be.**

**Anyway...this is the second last chapter. Next Friday, I shall be posting the FINAL chapter of Agent Duck-Butt. And then, the Friday after that (which is Christmas Eve) I will post a Christmas Special for ADB, because I'm nice like that! ^_^ (plus I got an idea, and I just have to write it out :P)**

**I'd suggest listening to action-fast-paced music while reading...to get the feel of it. (Alot of this was written with Hollywood Undead- Undead playing in the background.)  
><strong>

**And so...without further delay (because this chapter is over 9,000 words again)**

**Warnings: language, road-rage XD, ect.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and the characters of the show...but I can proudly say I own the ADB plot and universe! :D And the twins =w= they're mine to torture.**

**~ADB~**

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><p>His horror must have shown on his face, because the two men immediately threw themselves on top of him to stop him from shoving them through the wall.<p>

"Whoa!" one of them yelled as he bucked wildly beneath them. "Down Bessie, down!"

"He's not a horse!"

"He bucks like one."

There was a smack and a yelp of pain, and Naruto was trying to make sense of it all. Why weren't they attacking him? Why weren't they trying to kill him? How come they were both here? Wasn't Kaoru dead? He _had_ killed him, hadn't he?

"Have you calmed yourself, Hercules?"

He looked up into green eyes, seeing the same smug face that had been directed at him during their last encounter.

"You...You were dead," he said, his entire body tense. They weren't attacking him. They were trying to talk to him. He could register that much, but confusion was still colouring his voice.

The second twin, Kamari if he recalled, loomed over him with an almost concerned face.

"Yeah, not so much. Before we confronted you and your partner, we each took a dose of the virus," he explained before shifting, sliding a hand under Naruto's head to help ease him into a sitting position.

Naruto let himself be manoeuvred like a rag doll. Slowly, he was piecing together certain things, looking between the two of them and using every skill of reading people he had to see what was going on. He fixed his gaze on Kaoru, who was in front of him.

"...You pretended to die. You took a dive," he said slowly and the man nodded. "Why?"

"One of us had to get out of the agency to start making the preparations on the outside. I just happened to be the one that got 'killed'," he said flippantly before sending a glance to his twin. "Of course, I couldn't leave my adorable brother here on his own, so we switched places. He did the outside preparations, and I dealt with the inside."

Kamari looked miffed at being called adorable. "I could've handled it," he mumbled, fuming when Kaoru mimicked him with his hand, pulling a face.

"Sure. Like hell I was going to let you anywhere near that psychopath Pein," he sneered.

"Pein?" Naruto broke in, trying to understand what was happening.

"His real name is Yahiko. He's the leader of this whole messed up organization," Kamari supplied helpfully, breaking out of the glaring contest with his brother.

Naruto's face paled at the name. He had heard all about Yahiko from Jiraiya, back when he was still in training. From the stories he'd been told, Yahiko was a legendary agent that never quite got to gain the title officially. He was one of the best, along with his brother Nagato and their close friend Konan. The three of them had formed what was known as the Unstoppable Trio. Jiraiya had trained the three of them personally, and they showed promise to be as excellent as the first three Legends, Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru. However, something happened during their first big mission, back when they were fresh out of training. They had been given a serious mission, one that usually went to the top veteran agents. But because of their prodigal skills, the mission had been assigned to them.

They had disappeared without a trace, never heard from or sighted again. Everyone had assumed they were dead; killed in action and their bodies burned or buried by the enemy.

"Yahiko...he's behind this?" he asked softly, receiving nods. "...What about Nagato? And Konan?"

The twins exchanged glances, and Naruto knew instantly that they had never heard those names before.

"Uh...No idea who they are. It's just Yahiko. He started this whole thing; the organization, the research...all of it," Kamari said, standing up. "But anyway, we don't have time to waste. We need to get down to the ground floor. No doubt our old leader is making a break—"

He was cut off when Naruto, using the momentary lapse in concentration on their part, flipped up. He grabbed Kaoru around the neck, spinning him to face the front and using him as a shield as he quickly backed up. Kamari had already pulled out a pistol, aiming straight at him. But despite his weapon he looked panicked.

"Okay, holy Jesus, wait a minute!" Kaoru yelled, voice cracking as he was held hostage. Naruto had pulled out a second pistol from his satchel, holding it up against Kaoru's head. He kept his icy eyes on the twin, taking small steps back.

"Please wait, Agent," Kamari said slowly, a bead of sweat running down his face. "We can explain ourselves if you give us a chance—"

"I told you not to juice him up until after we explained it!" Kaoru snapped, wriggling in Naruto's hold and wincing when the gun was shoved against his temple harshly. "Watch it Captain America! You wouldn't be awake right now if it weren't for us!"

"You've got a minute to tell me what the fuck is going on," Naruto warned, keeping his eyes trained on Kamari. He could feel the strength in his body and knew that it was the virus. But it wasn't time for it to activate again naturally, which led him to conclude that they had injected it into his system again.

"Okay, okay!" Kamari said quickly, pulling his gun away and holding his hands up. "Just please don't shoot my brother! I can explain!"

Naruto breathed in through his nose, wondering if he was doing the right thing by listening to them. But somehow his instinct was telling him to at least hear them out. And like Jiraiya had taught him, he listened to his instincts.

Kamari also took a deep breath, preparing himself for a long winded explanation. He looked over at his twin and the agent, and shared a momentary glance with Kaoru.

'_Ugh, when this whole thing is over, I'm going to kick Kaoru's ass and then go on vacation. A long vacation..._'

"Okay, first, we are one your side," he said slowly. The look Naruto told him he would have to try a bit harder than that. "Alright, at first we were working for this stupid organization. We needed the money they offered—"

"Why?" Naruto cut in. Kaoru struggled in his arms.

"To pay for our prostitutes," he sneered. "It's not your business what we needed it for!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, pushing the tip of his gun against Kaoru's temple hard enough to bruise. Kamari looked torn between anger and worry.

"Kaoru, for once in your life, shut up and let me do the talking!" he hissed. Kaoru growled, but nodded slightly. Kamari focused on Naruto again, swallowing. "Look, it's personal why we needed the money. Someone important to us is...they're in serious medical trouble, and we needed money to pay for the operation needed to save them. We'd already tried working at other jobs, but nothing we did was making enough money. We were running out of time, and we were offered jobs here. The pay was perfect, so we jumped on it!"

"You were willing to work in a criminal organization, and kill innocent people, for a few bucks?" Naruto asked slowly, his voice a growl. Once more Kaoru shifted in his hold, turning his head into the gun to glare at him with demonic green eyes.

"When you're trying to protect someone precious to you, you'll do unspeakable things," he murmured darkly. Naruto spared him a glance before turning back to the other.

"So you work for the organization?"

"Worked," Kamari corrected. "But that changed a few nights after we captured you at Sasori's Enterprise."

Naruto recalled that as the night he was injected. His face twisted in surprise. "Were you the ones who injected me and set me and my partner free?"

Kamari shook his head. "No. I said a few nights _afterwards_, remember? Back then, we were still their lap dogs. But things...changed," his hand moved to the side of his neck where he traced an invisible scar. "Anyway, we were planning on leaving the organization. However, such a group like this wouldn't take our leave kindly."

Naruto nodded in understanding. It was obvious that this was the type of group that would kill anyone trying to leave. There was too much at risk to let anyone go before they'd achieved their goals.

"So, what did you do?"

"We were approached by one of the heads of the group who overheard our conversation to leave," Kamari said, shivering slightly at the memory. "He said that he wouldn't tell the leader of our plans to leave, and he would help us get out alive along with the money we needed if we agreed to work for him."

"Who?" Naruto demanded and felt Kaoru shift in his arms, his lips slicing apart in a wicked grin.

"Who do you think, Ken? Itachi Uchiha!" he said and then shivered. "Sadistic fuck."

Naruto, however, had gone stiff at the name, his eyes wide while his mouth dropped open slightly.

"...You're lying," he breathed. But even as he said it, he could see it in Kamari's eyes. There was no indication whatsoever that he was being dishonest, and he wasn't the type of person who could hide it very well, it seemed. "What did he want you to do?"

Kamari smiled. "In a nutshell?" he began, and his smile grew. "He wanted us to bring this place to the ground by cutting off its support-legs, so to speak."

"Where is he now?" Naruto asked.

"Most likely going after the leader...with that bastard partner of yours," Kaoru said slowly.

Naruto's eyes widened. '_Sasuke...with Itachi? No fucking way!_' He had to make a decision quick. Anko was already freaking out, telling people to hurry up and go after him.

He sucked in a breath and stepped away from Kaoru, who quickly hurried over to his twin and childishly hid behind him, glaring at him over Kamari's shoulder like a six year old.

"Meanie!" he stuck his tongue out. Naruto ignored him, focusing on the more mature twin.

"We're going after the leader. My partner will be doing the same. You two," he motioned the two of them with his gun, "are my insurance. Any wrong moves and I kill you both. Understood?"

They nodded, though Kaoru grumbled under his breath. He was silenced by a well-placed elbow in his stomach.

"We understand," Kamari agreed. "Now let's hurry. We've got a car ready to chase them with."

"A car chase," Naruto huffed as they rushed towards the elevator. "I hate those."

"What's the matter Princess?" Kaoru asked teasingly, ignoring the deadly look sent his way. "You scared?"

**~ADB~**

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><p>Sasuke's finger pulled the trigger, and the first bullet shot out of his gun, streaming through the air. It collided with the trunk of the car they were after, and immediately said car swerved to avoid anymore. Inside, Itachi's hands guided the wheel to the side, and Sasuke held on tighter as their car swerved. He pressed his body against the window to avoid getting hit by a car they passed, and he saw the driver start yelling in shock at seeing a man sitting halfway out of a car.<p>

The streetlights rushed past, creating an almost headache inducing pulse of light as they soared down the highway, avoiding cars and ignoring the loud horns blasting at their reckless driving.

Itachi watched as Yahiko once more swerved the car, speeding up to slip between two travelling vehicles before he turned, forcing the car behind him to slam on the brakes. Sasuke winced as the sound of tires screeching met his ears, and he felt a hand tug on his ankle, indicating he had to get back inside the car. He quickly slid down and gripped the dashboard while Itachi hit the brakes and pulled the car into a violent turn.

They heard loud crashing as the two cars in front of them collided in their attempts to avoid ramming into Yahiko's car. The second car slammed into the first with such force that the back end lifted, sparks spitting out from the metal that scrapped along the road at such high speeds. Itachi's turn made them swerve around the crash, the hood of their car barely missing the back tire of the semi-airborne car. Sasuke held his breath, fingers tightening on the plastic of the dashboard as they cleared the wreckage only to see that Yahiko was swerving around a truck. The loud horn of the car was like the angry moan of a great beast. A flash of gunfire was lost amongst the pulsing light of the street, but a second later the truck was swerving out of control.

"Shit," Itachi growled, eyes darting over the road to search for a way out of the oncoming collision.

The truck continued to swerve until it had turned too much, smashing into a minivan and then it was falling into a roll. Each time the metal back of the truck scratched into the road, it created a screech of tortured metal that blended in with the frantic hooting of panicking drivers until every car around them was trying to swerve out of the way.

"Hang on," Itachi ordered and Sasuke used another hand to grab his seat. Itachi spun the wheel, getting behind a car that was starting to panic. In the next second, that car veered off to the right, knocking another car out of the way as the driver attempted to get out of the way of the oncoming truck. Itachi narrowed his eyes, seeing an opportunity but knowing it was risky.

"This is going to hurt," he warned.

"Just get us through in one piece," Sasuke snapped. Itachi smirked, his face matching the smug look that Sasuke always acquired when he'd come up with a rather ingenious idea in a tight situation.

"Yes sir," he mumbled mockingly before slamming his foot on the accelerator. They both jerked in their seats from the force, and Sasuke's eyes widened when he caught on to what Itachi was planning.

"You've got to be shitting me!" he yelled, sinking down in his seat automatically as the truck bounced again and Itachi shoved the pedal to the floor. The shadow of the truck loomed above them, and Sasuke swallowed heavily. This was a one in a million chance plan. If luck wasn't on their side, they were going to be road kill.

"Here goes nothing," Itachi said nonchalantly, and steadied the wheel as the truck met the road once more. The side hit the tarmac, turning into a roll as they zoomed towards it. It tilted, the corner meeting the road as sparks continued to flare around it. Sasuke held back a grunt as their front hit the slanted truck, bouncing upwards until their tired met the metal obstruction. The screech of rubber burning against metal was loud as their car climbed up on the slanted monstrosity, and Sasuke sent a prayer to the Heavens that the luck of an Uchiha would still be with Itachi.

Their car streamed up the inclined surface, turning the truck back into a makeshift ramp that sent them through the air.

"Try not to piss yourself," Itachi commented shortly as they were graced with the sight of nothing but the night sky before the car started to dip downwards, heading back to the busy highway. Sasuke didn't even bother to comment on the jibe as his knuckles turned white from the strain they were going through as he clutched at his handholds.

It was like time slowed down as the ground loomed before him, but he fought the urge to close his eyes. The front tires hit the ground, pulling the car with them even before the back had a chance to reintroduce itself to the tarmac. The shriek of metal was deafening, and Sasuke's eyes narrowed to near-closed conditions as for a moment their vision was filled with nothing but sparks and flashing lights.

And then they were steadying out, the car nearly tipping on two wheels as Itachi spun the wheel to avoid crashing into the cars racing along ahead of them. A lane away, up ahead of three other cars, they could see Yahiko's vehicle pushing through.

"Holy shit," Sasuke breathed after he realized that they were still alive and driving strong. Itachi grunted beside him, looking as calm as ever. Sasuke swallowed, forcing himself to calm down. He knew he was being stupid. He'd been in car chases before, and to be honest he had done similar things when he was behind the wheel. In fact, thinking back on it, he'd done worse things! He shuddered slightly as he recalled a time when he drove a truck over a bridge and jumped out of it onto the roof of the enemy's car just before impact. Yes, something like that was also a split second opportunity, yet he took it.

But it was different because he had been the one behind the wheel. He had been the one in control. This time he was a passenger while another person, Itachi no less, was behind the wheel. It made him nervous because he didn't have total control over where the car went or what it did, and he had to admit that sitting in the passenger's side of the car made things ten times scarier. He now understood why his clients in car-chases always screamed bloody murder while he drove them through hell and back.

The sounds of crashing could still be heard behind them even though they had long vacated the area. Sasuke winced, knowing there was going to be a massive pile-up and he only hoped that there would be little to no casualties. It was a near fruitless hope, he knew, but in his line of work one had to get accustomed to unwanted deaths occurring on the job.

Shaking his head, he loosened his grip on the dashboard and once more eased towards the window.

"Keep us steady," he ordered and Itachi nodded, gliding the car into a slot on the next lane and ignoring the blaring horns of the other cars. Sasuke perched himself carefully, his eyes doing a quick scan of the car. He frowned at the scratches and large dents near the back and the front, but knew they were unavoidable. Their landing had been rough, and he was thankful that the car was still going at all. Turning his attention forwards, he growled when he saw Kisame was now mirroring his position, a gun pointed at him. His fingers tapped the trigger in a fierce triple tap, and he tilted his body as he heard Kisame's return fire. With the wind rushing past him, it was hard to decipher where the bullets were heading, but he focused less on them and more on the angle and position of Kisame's hand. A bullet scratched past his hand on the roof of the car, making his fingers twitch briefly. He scowled, pushing more of his body out of the car to get more clearance. The roar of a motorbike caught his ears and he turned his head, seeing one streaking towards him. With a curse, he turned his body, hooking his legs inside the car while he curved his back into an arch, letting the cyclist zoom underneath him. While he was arched, he hazardously fired again and smirked when he visibly saw Kisame dodge the bullet. Using the advantage of his outward position, he emptied his ammo clip, watching with a smug grin as Kisame briefly retreated back into the car to avoid getting a bullet in his neck.

"Sasuke!"

Itachi's voice was soft when pit against the harsh wind that made his hair whip his face with a stinging force, but he heard him nonetheless. The call was his only warning before a hand was reaching out of his window, grabbing his vest and tugging him forwards and holding tightly as the car suddenly swerved violently to avoid a car in front that suddenly hit the brakes. Itachi's grip on his vest was near painful, his fingers digging into his skin, but Sasuke kept his complaints quiet, knowing that if Itachi wasn't holding him he would've been thrown out of the car and squashed on the highway long ago.

With one hand working the wheel, Itachi forced the car to screech ahead of the slowing vehicle. He looked across to the other driver and grimaced when he realized the person was dead from a bullet to the head. He cursed, figuring that while Kisame and Sasuke had been busy, Yahiko had shot the man in the car behind him to derail them. He tightened his hold on Sasuke and hit the brakes, pulling the wheel to make the car slide into a severe turn. Sasuke let out a small yelp as he tried to hold onto the roof. Against his will, one hand slid down and grasped Itachi's wrist tightly so as not to let the older male let him go. His hair was flying wildly, blinding him to the world other than the dizzying mix of lights and the roars of wind, car horns and squealing tires.

When they were cleared of the derailing car, Itachi gripped the wheel so tight his knuckles were white. He turned into the slide, gritting his teeth when the force made Sasuke slide further out the window. His hand was aching with how tightly he was holding onto both the wheel and his brother, but he ignored the ache. Sasuke's hold on his wrist kept his head steady on the task ahead; keep them alive and going.

The tires were screaming in protest as the car ended up doing an entire 360 degree turn before they were steady again. It shuddered violently and Itachi prayed that it would hold out long enough for them to get Yahiko.

As soon as they were straight and racing down the highway, now greatly reduced in the number of cars around them, Itachi forced Sasuke back into the car and put both hands on the wheel. Sasuke was jumbled in his seat, one leg still propped up awkwardly against the door while he got the other one out of the twisted angle it was in. He was panting, having stopped breathing during the spin for fear of falling. His body was still tense but he forced himself to start relaxing.

"Shit," he sighed, pressing a hand over his eyes. Itachi didn't say anything, rolling down his own window and sticking his arm out. It took a minute for Sasuke to realize he was holding a gun and shooting at Yahiko's car. "The fuck did you get that?" Sasuke snapped.

"Please," Itachi drawled, guiding the car into the next lane to avoid the return fire. "I've had it with me this whole time. You just didn't see it since I hid it well."

Sasuke was silent, his mouth hanging open in shock. Itachi spared him a glance, his lips quirking up into a smirk.

"You didn't seriously think I was going to remain unarmed did you?" he asked, amused. Sasuke's jaw snapped shut while Itachi chuckled dryly. "Foolish little brother. I'm an Uchiha; I'm always prepared."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "I should just shoot you," he said seriously. Itachi shrugged his shoulder.

"You could. I wouldn't stop you. But then you'd have to try and drive the car with my dead carcass in the way. That would be a bit inconvenient," he said blandly. Sasuke growled, unhappy with the obvious teasing he was being subjected to. He jolted in surprise when Itachi reached over and flicked his forehead. Automatically his hand went to the spot, fingers pressing against it while he stared wide-eyed at the man known as his brother. Itachi pulled his hand back, guiding the car once more into a new lane before he spared a look at Sasuke. The corners of his lips were tilted up in the smallest of smiles.

"Itachi..." Sasuke began, unsure of what to say in the situation that was almost like a memory-extract from his happier childhood times. Itachi just turned back to the road.

"Get down!" he yelled.

Sasuke turned to look ahead, his heart stuttering briefly in horror as he saw what was happening. Up ahead, Yahiko's car was driving under a highway sign. Kisame had climbed onto the roof of the car, being held in place by a man with green hair and sickly skin. The sharkish man was holding a gun in each hand, but instead of firing at them, he fired at the sign. The bullets sliced through the chains that held the swinging sign that declared 'Highway Safety Is Our Top Priority'. The large structure swung forwards, the edge heading straight for them.

Sasuke ducked down, bracing himself. He saw Itachi also duck, hands holding the bottom of the wheel as he tucked himself as low as possible.

In the next second, they were deafened by the collision of metal slicing through metal. Sasuke's ears were stinging as the thunderous clash of various sounds crashed onto them, and he winced when he felt the car shudder, tug and all around flail under the onslaught of damage it was taking. His body was tense, his eyes squeezed shut as he felt wind start to swirl around him as the thundering sounds began to move from over his head to behind him, before finally it was gone with an echoing crash that faded in the distance. The roar of wind was prominent now as he dared to open his eyes, feeling the car shuddering beneath him but still going strong. His hair flapped around his face, whipping his cheeks and hurting his eyes before he cautiously looked up.

"Fuck me," he breathed, eyes taking in the terrible damage. The sign had torn the entire roof off, shattering the windshield and windows and leaving them in a messed up, make-shift convertible wannabe car. Shards of the windshield still stuck to the bottom frame, the gummy edges glinting in the lights that passed by. The door frames looked ready to fall off, rattling in place while the torn-metal tips shone evilly. Sasuke turned his head, looking behind them to see the sign crashing into cars behind them, and he shivered at the thought that it could have been them.

"We need to end this soon," Itachi snarled from beside him, his long hair almost coming out of its tie and flaring out behind him in the wind. Sasuke nodded, looking forward and watching as Yahiko swerved the car from lane to lane. Kisame had climbed inside again.

"If Yahiko manages to lose us, it will be impossible to track him again. He has a dozen contacts in various countries and places; we won't know which one he goes to. We have to catch him before he can escape," Itachi explained, driving around a truck. His eyes widened, mouth falling open in shock. "Oh fuck!"

Sasuke's face paled as he saw what made Itachi panic. They were in a lane that was cut off a few miles ahead. It didn't slowly fall out. There was an actual barrier, undoubtedly construction work, set up ahead. They were going to hit it head on. Yahiko had already moved out of the way, and there was a truck blocking the area ahead of them, and several cars besides them. They were blocked in with nowhere to go!

"Oh shit, _shit,_ _SHIT_!" Sasuke yelled, jumping up in his seat as he saw their oncoming doom. Itachi had also lifted himself, his eyes frantically zooming around. But he couldn't find any way out. They were going to crash! They were going to—

"BASTARD!"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto followed the two red heads through the underground garage. He was still unsure if he was making the right choice to join them, but then again they most likely knew where Yahiko was going to go, and were his only lead at the moment.<p>

As they reached the main level, they heard the sound of a car revving wildly, and were graced with the sight of a sleek black car racing out. The three of them skidded to a halt, and Naruto briefly caught sight of Sasuke in the passenger side.

'_Sasuke! He really is with Itachi then!_' he thought, stunned that they had been telling the truth.

"Hey! Daydreamer!"

He snapped out of his shock to see the twins standing by a car. Kamari had already climbed in behind the wheel and Kaoru was waving for him to get in. "C'mon Barbie, we don't have all night!"

Naruto growled, shoving him into the car before getting in. He noticed it was a convertible.

"Stop calling me those ridiculous nicknames," he ordered before looking over at Kamari who was starting the car. "I think I should drive," he said. He'd been in car chases before, as much as he hated them. However, Kaoru leant forwards from the back seat, a sly grin on his face.

"No worries, agent. Kamari will do the job just fine," his eyes slid to his twin, "Ain't that right, little K?"

Kamari scowled. "Don't call me that," he said before his foot slammed the accelerator. Naruto gripped his seat as the car sped forwards, his eyes widened as Kamari switched the gears like a pro. The car bounced over the exit bump, and Kaoru cursed loudly as his head slammed against the roof.

"Christ, put the roof down!" he roared, rubbing at his abused skull. Kamari laughed while Naruto pressed the lever to make the roof descend, and soon wind was rushing all around them, whipping their hair about. The traffic was rather bad, but in the distance they could just make out two cars driving wildly. Naruto could see Sasuke hanging out the window of the second one and gulped. He knew that the raven was just doing what he normally would in a chase, but seeing it from a third person view was somewhat nerve-racking.

"Where would Yahiko try to escape to?" he asked, checking his gun while Kamari steered the car into another lane. A driver next to them honked his horn, yelling at them. Kaoru just sat up in his seat and shoved his ass towards them, pulling a face at the man over his shoulder.

"From what Itachi told us he has many contacts in various countries around the world," Kamari said, hands moving across the wheel as he cut off a delivery truck. He didn't turn his head when the man hooted, instead just raising a fist and holding up his middle finger as reply to their angry honking. "If we lose sight of Yahiko, it would be difficult to track him down again. He's a master at disappearing when he manages to slip away."

"Which is why we won't let him!" Kaoru interrupted, once more flinging himself between the seats. He had an arm over each of them, grinning ahead at the two cars now swerving around each other in a car-war. The flashes of gunfire were hard to spot with all the passing lights, but their eyes could see them. "Besides, if Yahiko gets away, Itachi won't pay us and we'd have done this all for nothing," he added, absently scratching his nose. Kamari nodded and Naruto just sighed. He felt uncomfortable around these guys. After all, they had been enemies every time he saw them, yet now they were supposedly his allies! Despite how his training would tell him not to believe them, his gut was saying otherwise. Perhaps it was the look in their eyes, or the way they kept glancing towards each other. It was not a guilty glance that suggested they were lying, but rather one that was seeking reassurance from the other that things would turn out fine in the end.

"Kamari, was it?" he asked, receiving a nod. "Can you get us between that red Mercedes and the white Honda?" he asked, pointing ahead to the requested cars. They were in separate lanes, a good amount of space between them. Also, there was a clear path from them that led towards Sasuke and Itachi's car. If they could get close enough, they would be able to assist in this chase.

Kamari studied the area, and then the cars around them before smirking slightly. "With a bit of help, sure," he said. Naruto raised a blond brow, ready to ask, but he didn't have to as he heard a chuckle from the twin behind him.

"Yes boss," Kaoru said, reaching down for something on the car floor. He came back up, holding a rifle. Naruto panicked, bringing his own gun up.

"What the fuck—"

"Relax," Kaoru drawled, cocking the weapon and aiming at ahead. "I'm not planning on shooting you. I'm just going to clear the way a little," he grinned, his sharp canines showing.

"You cannot kill any civilians!" Naruto growled.

"Wasn't planning to do that either," Kaoru mumbled, closing one eye as he took aim. His upper body jerked as he fired, and Naruto heard the high pitched squeal of air leaving a tire. He looked up and saw that a car that was blocking their way was veering off the side. Their tire was punctured, but only with a small scratch to the side, just deep enough to be an opening. The air was being let out slowly enough that the driver didn't lose control, but he did lose his speed and had to head to the sides. As soon as he was out of the way, Kamari accelerated. The sides of their doors scratched against other cars as they forced their way between until the Mercedes and the Honda were beside them.

"...Not bad," Naruto admitted, getting up in his seat. He carefully watched the chase in front of them as they started to catch up. His eyes widened when he saw two cars collided violently, Sasuke's car barely missing the crash. But then Yahiko darted behind a truck, and the next second the large vehicle was sliding, toppling over and bounding towards them. "Shit!"

"Oh my God," Kamari yelped, also seeing the crash. In the backseat, Kaoru was leaning back, watching the spectacle with an expression of boredom. He made a gun with his fingers, pointing at the truck that was bouncing towards them.

"That doesn't look good," he commented.

"Shut up Kaoru!" Kamari snapped, twisting the wheel to car-elbow the cars beside them out of the way. He didn't have to try too hard, as drivers everywhere were panicking and trying to get off the road. They could hear the thunderous crashing of the car, and Naruto let out a sound of amazement as they witnessed Sasuke and Itachi's car manage to use the truck as a ramp to get over it. He couldn't help but pump his fist in the air, nearly jumping in his seat.

"Fuck yeah Duck-butt!" he yelled, missing the two identical looks of incredulity sent his way by his companions. But they had a problem; the truck was heading their way, still rolling. Naruto's mind churned for some kind of idea, but he couldn't think! God, if only he was The Thing, or the Hulk or...

Wait...

"You dosed me up with the virus right?" he asked above noise.

"Yeah, why?" Kaoru called, one hand over his ear as if the wind was too loud.

"Well, I have a plan," Naruto said, standing up and resting his hand on the top of the windshield. "Let's just hope that it works."

He didn't hesitate, knowing they were running out of time. He climbed over the windshield and onto the hood of the car, crouching like Spiderman as he crawled towards the left side.

"What the hell are you doing?" the twins yelled together, staring at him in shock. Naruto looked at the truck, estimating they had about fifty seconds before it would meet them.

"Kamari," he called, looking over his shoulder, "I need you to get us as far to the right of the truck as you can!"

"The right? Why?" Kamari asked even as he started to veer them in the desired direction. They were close to the highway rail as it was, and soon they would be scraping against it.

"Because," Naruto yelled back, turning to face the front once more with a determined grimace on his face. "I'm going to shove it out of the way."

"WHAT? That's crazy!" Kamari shrieked, but a hand was clamped over his mouth. Kaoru leant forwards, a wild grin on his scarred face.

"Exactly! It's so crazy, it just might work! Make sure to concentrate on pumping as much blood to your arms as you can!" he yelled and Naruto nodded, his golden hair flying about his head. He swallowed, watching as the obstacle neared them rapidly. This was a long shot, but then again agents pulled long shots on almost every mission.

"Here we go!" he called, and behind him Kaoru moved so that he was hovering over Kamari, shielding him as much as he could without hindering his driving skills. Naruto straightened slightly as the truck slammed against the road once more, and he let out a loud roar as his hand shot out, touching the metal of the loose truck back. He felt the near painful pulse spread through his body, starting from his centre and tingling through his limbs. Then his arms felt like they were on fire as he forced his weight and power against the obstacle. There was a crunch as his wrists broke from the solid impact, but he held back his cry of pain and shoved.

The truck moved, scratching against the road. The entire car jolted as it was forcibly squeezed between the truck and the side railing. Both twins cried out as the vehicle lifted, tires meeting air as they were launched forwards. Naruto continued to force his strength against the truck, and moved it even more; just enough to free them from the trap and send them lunging forwards. It had all happened in a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime before they were free, swerving back into the road. Naruto lost his balance as they finally cleared, and he toppled to the side, the strong wind forcing him backwards. Kaoru saw him falling and lunged sideways, his body hitting the side of the car as he wrapped his arms around the blond that was flying past. With a groan, he heaved the man back into the car, landing on the backseat and panting from the exertion. Kamari worked to straighten out the car, cursing when he realized that they had fallen behind during their struggle. They would have to find Sasuke and Yahiko again, but luckily this highway didn't have any exits for a long while.

"Ah shit," Naruto moaned, feeling his broken wrists. The virus was still working, and if he didn't crack them back into place soon, the bones would mend weirdly. But he couldn't move his hands, let alone reset them.

He didn't have to worry. Kaoru had already noticed and with a sadistic smirk, grabbed his wrists and violently forced them back into place with a loud crunch. Naruto yelped, pain flaring up briefly as the bones began to mend and everything was healed over. When it was through, he glared at the red head, rubbing his wrists. "Why'd you have to be so rough, asshole?"

"That was payback for shooting me on the train. That shit hurt, bitch!" Kaoru retorted, pressing his fingers to the spots where the bullets had hit him. Naruto's glare increased but his lips curled into a feral grin.

"Oh? Little baby can't take a few bullets without whining?" he jeered. Kaoru scowled, moving forward so that his face was inches from Naruto's in a heated staring match.

"What'd you call me, Goldilocks?"

"Are you hard of hearing, Cherry-head?"

"I would shoot your dick off, but it appears you don't have one!"

"The only thing you seem to be able to shoot is your fat mouth, you twerp!"

"Who're you calling fat, you ingrate?"

"Heh, that's probably the biggest word in your vocabulary, isn't it?"

"Yeah, right next to 'Kiss-my-ass' you dickface!"

"I'll show you a—"

The car suddenly swerved violently, the screeching of brakes only dimmed by the solid thud of their foreheads colliding painfully. They both yelled, rearing back. Kaoru clutched at his bruising skin, howling like a wounded animal while Naruto tried to blink the spots from his eyes.

"Both of you shut the hell up before I throw you onto the highway!" Kamari snarled, reaching behind him to slap both of their heads. Kaoru whimpered again, curling up in the corner like a scolded dog while he nursed his head. Naruto just rubbed at the spot on his forehead, not in any pain but still somewhat bemused that he had just gotten scolded like a child. Thinking back he couldn't help but compare this situation to the time he and Sasuke had broken out into a pointless argument as they escaped from an exploding building. The memory made him chuckle and he moved back into the front seat, ignoring the glowering look the twin in the back gave him.

"Sorry," he said and Kamari just huffed, guiding the car into another lane. The cars had started to thin, but as they drove further they could see more and more remnants of the chase. Dented cars were pulling over to the side, there were tire marks all over the road and still shards of metal were starting to become frequently seen. They were getting closer.

A sudden noise made the three of them look up, and all of them let out rather undignified shrieks at seeing the torn remains of a car roof crashing towards them, followed by a large and dangerously sharp metal sign.

Naruto held onto the sides of the car as Kamari spun the wheel. All three of them started to cry out when the car went into a dangerous sliding spin. Naruto felt like he was going to be sick.

'_Dammit, I really hate car chases!_' he thought angrily, cracking open his eyes. They bulged when he saw the sign flying right over them, the edge inches from the top of his head. They finally evened out, no damage having been done to any of them, but they couldn't quite believe it yet. They drove in silence, the wind the only sound coming to their ears as they stared wide-eyed at the road ahead.

"...So...We're alive?" Kaoru eventually asked, prodding their cheeks before slapping his hands against his own face. "Whoa, I thought for sure something was going to happen that time! Our luck's been uncannily good tonight—"

"Don't say that!" Kamari screeched, looking horrified. "You're going to jinx us if you say that!"

Naruto just slumped in his seat. '_It just doesn't feel like a normal mission with these guys!_' he thought before frowning. '_No, from the start this has been crazy. I knew there was some strange stuff happening out there, but this entire mission is just insane...I'll be glad when it's over with!_'

"There they are!" Kaoru yelled, pointing forwards. Indeed they could see Itachi and Sasuke in their now accidental-convertible, still chasing after Yahiko. But something was wrong.

"It's a dead end!" Naruto realized, jumping up. "Get us beside them now!"

"There are cars in the way!" Kamari yelled back, trying to force their way through but to no avail. Naruto growled. Like hell was he going to let Sasuke die tonight. Not when he could stop it.

He reached down, grabbing the gun he'd dropped earlier. His face was stony as he stood, hair flying, vest trembling and hand steady. His eyes were cold, the faintest tints of red around the edges as he took aim and pulled the trigger. The first bullet hit the first car before them, striking the back tire and blowing it. The car veered off to the side, horn blaring as they took its place. Naruto breathed steadily through his nose, once more shooting out the tire of the next car. They worked their way up quickly, and now there was just a patch of open road before they would be alongside Sasuke.

"Go as fast as you can!" he ordered and Kamari had the pedal pressed to the floor, his jaw clenched in concentration. Naruto steadied himself, turning to the side as Kaoru moved forwards too, scooting closer to the side of the car for what they needed to do.

"We've got fifteen seconds to get them out!" Naruto snapped and cupped his hand around his mouth as they finally caught up, speeding alongside the two ravens. "BASTARD!"

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke's head snapped to the side at the call, and like a golden miracle, Naruto was there. His hair whipped about, the blond shining in the passing lights while his endlessly deep blue eyes stared at him. Sasuke felt like the world vanished, leaving him and Naruto alone—<p>

"STOP DAYDREAMING AND JUMP GODDAMIT!" Naruto roared and Sasuke snapped out of his reverie. The blockade was right there; it was now or never.

He scrambled to the side as Itachi climbed up, and with only a second to try and get a breath, they both jumped. Not a second too soon either, because as soon as their legs had crossed the line that was the car door, the front slammed into the blockade.

For one terrifying moment, he was suspended in midair, wind rushing around him, lights flashing and absolutely no way of safety available below him.

But then arms were grabbing him, tugging him to safety and he fell against a warm, hard chest, and a familiar scent filled his nose.

_Naruto_...

"Whoo, look at that!" the loud jeer made him look up in time to see the explosive flames of their crashed car erupting into the night air. Naruto's arms tightened around him slightly and he groaned.

"Idiot, you're breaking my spine!" he grunted out, feeling his bones creak dangerously. Naruto loosened his hold immediately, an apologetic smile on his face. Sasuke smirked right back, reaching forward to brush some blond hair behind his ear even though it would whip out the second he let go anyway. He then leant forwards and bumped his nose against Naruto's in an Eskimo kiss. The gesture was so endearing, Naruto felt himself blushing form pure embarrassment. Trust Sasuke to get sappy at a time like this.

"That was so cute, I think I just shit out a rainbow," a voice drawled mockingly. Sasuke turned a deadly glare to the one who had spoken and blinked when he saw a familiar face. Actually, two familiar faces.

"I thought you were dead!" he said, shocked. Kaoru was leaning back in his seat, legs propped up against the front seat that they were in. He just gave him a smug grin filled with contempt.

"As if, asswipe."

"Now isn't the time for petty insults," Itachi said smoothly from his spot beside the red head. He didn't look at all phased at having jumped from one speeding car to another, and was just adjusting his sleeves from where Kaoru had yanked them to get him in the car safely. "We're nearing the highway end, so we have to catch Yahiko now. Kamari, if you can get us close to enough to get a clear shot at his tires, we can take him."

"Why didn't you just shoot the tires earlier then?" Kamari asked, steering them into an empty lane to speed up. They could make out the taillights of Yahiko's car, swerving around several cars.

"There were too many cars blocking the way, plus he was moving too much and we only had one gunman. Now we have four," Itachi explained, sweeping his hand to motion all of them.

Naruto's hackles were raised the moment Itachi started to talk, but he hadn't said a word. Sasuke had been with the guy, and from the looks of it he _was_ on their side...for now.

"Are you okay?" Sasuke whispered in his ear, feeling how tense Naruto was beneath him. He could figure why the blond was so high strung. Itachi had that effect on people.

"Just a bit nervous about working with these guys," Naruto admitted softly, making sure that only Sasuke would hear. The highway was cleared enough that they need not clutch onto anything so as to stay seated. Sasuke nodded, straightening up so that they were both sitting on the car seat. It was cramped, and they were practically mashed together, but neither man minded. It was a nice opportunity to take advantage of before they would have to start shooting away.

"Okay, I'm going to pull alongside them as much as I can," Kamari informed them the moment they had passed the last stray car. Now there was a long stretch of empty road between them and their prey. "Get ready."

The two agents reloaded their guns, cocking them and making sure everything was okay. Behind them, Itachi and Kaoru were doing the same, each one expressionless in their task.

Discreetly, Sasuke slipped his hand into Naruto's on their thighs, and he squeezed slightly. Naruto curled his fingers inwards, knowing that it would feel like a squeeze to Sasuke. He didn't want to really squeeze since he'd probably end up crushing Sasuke's hand.

They were closing in on their target, and both agents felt themselves getting tense as they thought of this mission finally coming to an end. It had long since stopped being something fun. It had stopped the moment things started to get out of hand.

"Let's go!" Sasuke ordered as they reached firing distance, and all guns were raised. They began to fire at once, gunshots blaring amidst the roar of the wind. The windshield of the other car burst, and they ducked down slightly to avoid getting any flying glass in their eyes. Sasuke saw Kisame stick out of the back window, a cruel smile on his face as he aimed his own gun at them.

"You lot are sure persistent, aren't you!" he called, taking aim. The first bullet whizzed over head but the second one slammed into the hood of the car. Sasuke growled, shifting forwards, but before he could Naruto was moving. In a sweep, the blond climbed over the windshield and rushed across the hood of their car. The space between their cars had lessened to a step during their shooting, and Naruto vaulted across easily. He landed on the back of the other car, his hand wrapping around a surprised Kisame's hand and tugging.

Kisame was pulled from the car, but quickly kicked out his foot, knocking Naruto back. Sasuke held back a yell when Naruto fell off the car, but landed somewhat safely on the hood of theirs. He quickly fired another round at Kisame, hoping to catch him and knock him off. But Kisame just ducked, his free hand reaching back and grabbing one of the daggers still attached to his belt. He sunk it into the trunk, giving himself a handhold while he crouched on the back.

"You agents really do annoy me," he yelled, firing at them angrily. Sasuke bent over the windshield and held onto Naruto to stop him from sliding off as Kamari quickly manoeuvred the car around, dodging more bullets. Over his shoulder, Itachi fired a splendid shot that hit the back bumper. Just a little adjustment and he would hit the tire.

"Oh no you don't!" Kisame yelled, reaching for a second dagger and hurling it his way. Itachi cursed, tilting back as much as he could. Before the blade could make contact, Kaoru slid to the side, his hand snatching the handle and spinning it around into a firm hold.

"Ha! Not on my watch, you fish-fuck!" he roared triumphantly, grinning at Kisame like a madman. Itachi bent his arm around him, shooting once. Kisame ducked the bullet again, a scowl on his face. Naruto sat up, aiming at the tires of the car before them. He fired, but missed. Gritting his teeth tightly, he took careful aim again. A bullet slashed across his right arm and he flinched, trying to ignore the fact that if Kisame aimed carefully, he could kill him.

"Itachi! Keep that asshole busy!" Sasuke ordered, pressing his hand against the wound on his partner's shoulder. It wasn't healing, which meant the virus wasn't activated anymore. Itachi nodded, and he and Kaoru aimed their shots at Kisame, forcing the other to retreat slightly to avoid getting shot anywhere vital. Another bullet whizzed by, and Sasuke hissed when he felt it scrape his ear. Kisame hadn't fired that shot. He looked up, seeing the same green-haired man from before holding a gun in their direction with a nonchalantly blank expression on his face. Narrowing his eyes and scowling, Sasuke scooted closer to Naruto, winding his arm around his chest and placing his hand over Naruto's so that both their fingers were on the trigger of the gun.

"Just breathe," he mumbled into Naruto's ear. His own head was starting to ache, but he ignored the pain. Naruto nodded slowly, sucking in a deep breath and carefully he aimed the gun with Sasuke. With determined eyes, he began to count.

"Eight," he said and felt Sasuke squeeze his chest.

"Seven," the raven murmured, adjusting their hands to make sure they would get a clear shot.

"Six." Naruto looked over at Kamari, ordering him with his eyes to straighten the car. The red head nodded.

"Five," whispered Sasuke, closing his eyes briefly and revelling in the warmth he felt coming from Naruto.

"Four." Naruto smiled slightly when he felt a kiss pressing against the back of his neck.

"Three." Sasuke opened his eyes, the onyx orbs gleaming with hard determination and resolve.

"Two," Naruto grunted, hearing a cry from behind him as a bullet hit Kaoru's shoulder. Itachi renewed his shooting, sending a barrage of bullets past them at the two gunmen in the other car. They were just a bit to the right, but slowly they came into a direct line...and they had a clear shot.

"One," they said together, and squeezed the trigger. The bullet burst forth, slicing through the air and hitting the back tire. It exploded, a large opening ripping through before the car began to slide out of control. As it turned, they caught a glimpse of Yahiko's face, his orange hair doing little to hide the murder in his eyes as he aimed a gun towards them through the window.

The glass shattered as a bullet cut through, and the two agents only sighed together as they felt it pierce through both of their chests, watching through rapidly glazing eyes as the car before them streamed towards disaster while their own vehicle was screeching to a violent stop.

Their thoughts were muddled, bright lights and flames flickering in their visions confusing them. They were laid together on the road, blood soaking through their vests from the clear wounds. The bullet had gone straight through Naruto, and then through Sasuke as well, leaving them both with open entrance and exit wounds. Their heads were turned towards each other, hands interlocked as they breathed heavily. The pain was there, but they weren't focused on it. They just focused on each other.

Naruto's lips pulled into a smile as he tiredly dragged their linked hands up to his lips. He pressed a kiss to Sasuke's gloved knuckles before looking at him.

"Mission accomplished," he wheezed. Sasuke smiled a genuine smile as he pulled their hands to his own mouth to return the gesture.

"Hn."

They continued to smile to each other even as they blacked out, the sound of a helicopter landing and Kiba and Sakura's faint voices calling out to them ringing distantly in their ears.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>8D;;; Don't kill me for the cliffhanger please!<strong>

**Sooo...was the car chase (entire chapter) to your liking? I wrote it while listening to as many fast-paced/actiony/car-chasey songs as I had in my music list...**

**Next chapter, final chapter, will be out next Friday! ...Q-Q I'm going to miss this story! But, there's still the Christmas Special to write...**

**Thanks for reading, I hope you all enjoyed, and please leave a review with your thoughts on the chapter! ^_^ Much love all around!**


	23. Mission Accomplished

**Long chapter is long...**

**Well...we've reached the end. Once again... Q_Q Oh mai... **

**But I hope that you have all enjoyed the story/movie as it went...And that it made you laugh, and cry, and jump and shout and get excited or bummed out...in other words, I hope you really, REALLY enjoyed it! ^_^ **

**Also, important, please check the poll on my profile! It will be in regards to a sequel for this, or not!**

**Well...I would write out an entire speech, but I think this chapter is long enough and I'm sure that after my evil cliffie last chapter, you all just want to get on with it right? XD**

**Thank you to everyone who has read, faved, alerted, reviewed and all around followed this story! I am so pleased that you have all stuck with me through this adventure, and that you took the time to leave your thoughts or follow this tale! You're all awesome and this story would not have gotten this far without you all! So give yourselves a big hug from me! And I'm more than certain that my co-idea-founder for this story, SilverXStarlight will agree with me wholeheartedly when I say...You guys all ROCK! ^_^**

**Keep this story on alert! I will be adding the Christmas Special chapter on Christmas Eve...and more likely than not, I will be adding other Holiday special chapters at the designated times of the year. :) So keep high spirits!  
><strong>

**Here we go...ADB, Final chapter...**

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The scratching of a pen on paper was the only noise in the office. It thankfully drowned out the agonizing tick of the clock hanging on the wall. Sunlight streamed through the large window, lighting up the dark corners of the room as the old man continued to scribble on his documents.<p>

A knock on the door made him look up, his wrinkled visage smoothing out.

"Come in," he called, waiting as the door opened and closed behind his visitor. He smiled. "Ah, good to see you both," he greeted, putting his pen down and leaning back in his seat. "I suppose you've come to give me some news?"

"Yes Chief," the men nodded.

"Alright. Let's start with you, Ibiki. What can you tell me?" the Chief asked.

Ibiki sighed as he stepped closer, crossing his arms. "Well, I just finished the last interrogation. Yahiko certainly was well trained. He kept a tight lip, even when I pulled out some of my more inhumane methods. Eventually though, I managed to strike a weak point," he said.

"What was that?" the Chief asked curiously.

"I brought up his brother Nagato, and their friend Konan. It appears that during their final mission, the enemies somehow contaminated Nagato with a biological warfare prototype. It was a vicious one that ate at him from the inside out, decomposing his body even while he was alive. Yahiko and Konan tried to find a cure, but they did not have any luck. Konan eventually raided the enemies old hideout, trying to find something they could use to reverse the effects. She found the data on the virus and brought it back, but while she was there she was contaminated too. She suffered the same effects as Nagato, leaving Yahiko to search for a way to reverse it. Eventually he found a way to turn the virus into what we know it to be, but before he could properly conduct the research...Nagato and Konan died."

Sarutobi closed his eyes, a deep frown on his face. Of course. Revenge...Justice...A type of redemption. That was what Yahiko had been doing, but his ideals, morals and undoubtedly his judgement of everything had been twisted by the deaths of his most precious people. He had become a demon in his grief.

"...What else?" he asked quietly.

"The scientist we picked up had no problems talking. He was the one that helped Yahiko figure out the basics of reversing the virus and has been assisting him ever since. I asked about his reasons, and he just replied that it sounded interesting and exciting, so that's why he did it," Ibiki grumbled, undoubtedly a little annoyed that he hadn't gotten to torture the man. There was a dry chuckle from beside him, making him turn a nasty glare to the pale man beside him.

"Aw, Ibiki's a little miffed he couldn't play with his toys?" Orochimaru teased.

"What about the other accomplice? Kisame, I believe he is called?" Sarutobi cut in before they could start a fight.

"He was a hired mercenary, who Yahiko had met during his search for the anti-virus. He took joined because he thought it would be interesting, but also because Yahiko paid him an insanely large amount. We have him, and the others, locked in a high security cell for now," Ibiki said, letting his arms hang by his side. "I've also sent in several clean-up agents and recon agents to scour the building and clean it out of any data. They will demolish it the moment they have finished."

"What will the demolition be passed as?" Sarutobi asked.

"Underground research facility meltdown," Ibiki shrugged. "Or something like that. I've left Anko in charge of the press."

"Oh she must loathe you now," Orochimaru quipped. "She hates dealing with reporters. I just wonder how long it will take her to punch one of them in the face this time?" he said thoughtfully, tapping his chin with his finger.

"Thank you for your hard work, Ibiki," Sarutobi sighed. He leant forward in his seat, lacing his fingers together. "And what about Itachi and those twins? What about their stories?"

"I've cross-checked every part of Itachi's explanation, and it all checks out. His name is known among the underground information channels, and they all say he's been asking about the same thing. Also, the references he gave as to his locations and the questioned times all checked out as well. He passed a polygraph without a hitch, and has agreed to accept any consequences for his past actions," Ibiki said, and it was obvious that he was slightly bewildered. "Sir, I used the most harsh and inhumane methods on him. I used methods that would have made the most demonic man confess. But there was not a trace of a lie or deception that I could find...Either he is truly a human machine with no emotion...or he is telling the truth."

Sarutobi looked at his desk, thinking hard. He remembered that at one point he had entertained the idea that Itachi was the one who had helped Sasuke and Naruto before. It had been nothing more than a silly wish, or a passing fantasy. After all, Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha were not only two of the greatest agents, but they had been double-agents as well. And he remembered them both agreeing to teach Itachi that line, long before their murder. In fact he had already been selected to start going on actual missions just before the murder. But he never imagined his silly little thought was the reality.

It almost seemed too good to be true.

"Keep him in a separate custody cell. Have at least one agent guarding him at all times. What about the twins?"

"Their stories check out too. And their involvement with Itachi is also valid. They were hired as mercenaries for the organization, but wanted to leave. Itachi hired them to assist him in destroying the organization from the inside by stealing the blood samples, destroying the labs and also sabotaging the train delivery."

"And their motive?"

Ibiki nodded, slipping his hands into his pocket. "After a bit of probing, I confirmed their story. Their mother is in a local hospital. She's going blind, and is also suffering from an uncommon disease that has caused her body to start deteriorating. It is treatable, but the treatment is insanely expensive, and doubled with the eye surgery the amount is almost inhuman. Itachi agreed to give them a lump sum of money, which he already transferred before we picked him up."

Sarutobi nodded. "Hold them as well. Despite their reasons and their desire to leave the organization, they were still involved and therefore are possible enemies. We will hold them until we're satisfied they will not cause trouble."

Ibiki nodded and turned to leave.

As soon the door had closed, Orochimaru glided forward, grabbing a chair and spinning it on its hind leg briefly before sitting down and propping his feet up on the Chief's desk. Sarutobi just quirked a brow.

"And what news do you bring?" he asked. Orochimaru smiled.

"I'm here in Tsunade's place, since she's entered her psychotic mother hen mode and refuses to leave the medic ward," he informed and the chief straightened up immediately.

"How are they?" he asked, a hint of panic in his tone. Orochimaru laughed, waving his hand reassuringly.

"They're fine. Tsunade says that the both of them are out of danger, and are expected to make a full recovery. Although, I don't see why everyone was panicking. I already knew that Naruto would be fine the moment the virus reactivated. For now his body is just trying to conserve energy," he shrugged while Sarutobi sat back in his chair, sighing in relief.

"Maybe so, but they were both in a bad way when we picked them up. And truthfully I was more worried about Sasuke. After all, he doesn't have the guarantee of the virus."

"Not true," Orochimaru sang, tilting his head from side to side. Sarutobi frowned.

"What do you mean?"

The scientist hummed, a creepy smile on his face as he continued to sway his head as if listening to music. "Well, it's just that I noticed something a little strange when they brought them in. And it reminded me of the time that Uzumaki was first injected as well."

"What?"

"Sasuke's injuries, though severe, seemed to heal at a rate that was above average. Not nearly as much as Naruto's, but there was definitely something odd about it. Not to mention that his threshold for pain was higher than before, and all his reflexes had changed. All of this was very miniscule, but when you observe someone as thoroughly as I do, you notice it."

Sarutobi had a blank look on his face. "...I find it highly disturbing that you '_observe'_ my agents...especially that _thoroughly_," he deadpanned. Orochimaru laughed.

"Yes yes, but what I'm getting at is that since the beginning Sasuke has also, in a very small way, been carrying the virus."

"How?" Sarutobi asked, stunned. Orochimaru shrugged, his creepy smile stretching.

"Tell me, do you think Sasuke enjoys biting during sex?"

Red raced over Sarutobi's cheeks as he spluttered. "What kind of—Why would you ask—What the hell is _wrong_ with you?" he eventually said, scandalised. Orochimaru laughed again, clapping his hand.

"I'm just saying that he must have a thing for drawing blood, because he has ingested a small amount of Naruto's blood. Not a very substantial amount, but enough for the virus cells in the blood to have a minimal effect on his body. Though, I'm sure that soon it will be gone entirely, via natural means. It was just something I discovered after getting his medical reports from the last few missions as well as hearing Tsunade's report on this one!" he chirped, waving his hands around. "In a way, it's kind of cute! It was as if Naruto was protecting Sasuke from the very beginning!"

Sarutobi just slumped onto his desk as Orochimaru continued to fantasize by himself. Honestly, his old student scared him sometimes. But he had to admit it was slightly incredible that Sasuke had been housing a small portion of the virus. However, if it was due to ingested blood, then obviously it would leave his body. It was interesting, however, to think that someone could benefit from the virus purely from ingesting blood that housed it.

"...Anyway," Orochimaru said, finally finished with his creepy fan-boy behaviour. "Kakashi is also recovering quickly, so he'll be out and about soon! In fact, everyone who was injured is doing well, though I think that some of the rookies are going to quit," he hummed thoughtfully. "Some people just can't handle excitement!"

Sarutobi turned his head, scowling to himself. '_No, just not everyone finds getting severe injuries to be exciting!_' he thought, but sighed and smiled.

"So, it looks like this mission is wrapping up nicely," he said.

"Indeed. Things will return to normal soon enough. In a way it's a bit sad; I feel like I'm going to have nothing to do from now on!" Orochimaru said mournfully.

The chief chuckled, resting his head on his hand. "Well, at least now you have that llama to take care of. That should give you some entertainment," he said and Orochimaru lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Oh yes! That actually reminds me! Guess what I discovered!" he said, jumping forwards and clasping Sarutobi's hands between his. "Henry Broccoli the First...is actually a girl!"

Sarutobi blinked rapidly before he broke out into a sweat. If the llama was a girl, and Orochimaru was this excited, it could only mean one thing...

"Y-you're not thinking of—"

"So I'm going to find her a mate and breed them!" Orochimaru continued, looking like a child that was told his favourite pet dog was going to have squishy, adorable puppies soon. "Isn't that marvellous! You can adopt one of the babies!"

"No...No, I don't think so..."

"But why? They'll be so cute! And green! Don't you like green?"

"...Not particularly, no."

"Ah, so mean. OH! LEE LIKES GREEN! I'll let him have one!"

"God help us all..."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>A tapping sound was what dragged him from his slumber, and his eyelids fluttered open. He winced when bright lights assaulted him, and he lazily lifted an arm to shield his sensitive eyes from their blinding penetration. Once he adjusted, he realized it was sunlight streaming through an open window. Breathing deeply, he pushed himself up, feeling the blanket pool down around his waist. He rubbed his eyes and blinked when he saw that there were wired attached to his arm. Carefully, he removed the sticky patches from his skin, wincing when they tugged and pulled at his arm hair. Once that was done, he took the time to gather his bearings.<p>

'_I'm...in the hospital? No, wait, the medical ward at the agency!_' he registered, catching sight of a familiar picture frame. Scratching the back of his head in thought, looked around. When he spotted a bed lying on the other side of the room, as well as a tuft of very familiar hair, his eyes widened.

He scrambled out of bed, his feet touching the cold floor. He took a step forward...and fell flat on his face with a muffled thud.

"...Ouch..." he groaned, lifting his head. He looked over his shoulder, seeing that he had missed one wire that was connected to a drip that had caught on the edge of his bed. The sound of sheets rustling and a soft groan made him turn around, and he blinked as the man on the other bed emerged, looking at him briefly before raising an eyebrow.

"Do I even want to know why you're on the floor with a bruise?" Sasuke asked slowly, the hint of a smirk on his face. Naruto laughed sheepishly, climbing to his feet. He hopped back to the IV drip, wheeling it around the bed and bringing it with him as he hobbled to Sasuke's bed and sat down.

"I was just a little too eager to wake you up," he said, shrugging. Sasuke chuckled lightly, sliding further up on the bed only to wince and bring a hand to his bandaged chest.

"That stings," he mumbled, and Naruto gently ran his fingers over the area he knew the bullet had pierced. It matched the area on his chest too, though he didn't know if there was going to be a scar or not.

"Aw, does baby Sasuke need his Naru-kins to kiss his booboo better?" Naruto cooed sweetly.

Sasuke blinked, his face blank before it scrunched in disgust. "If you ever say the words 'booboo' or 'Naru-kins' to me again, I will ram my foot down your throat," he warned. Naruto laughed, petting his head and ruffling his hair.

"Alright, you bastard," he agreed and Sasuke nodded, pleased. "Are you okay though? Do I need to call someone?"

The raven shook his head, lying back down and closing his eyes.

"No. Just stay here," he mumbled. Naruto smiled, leaning down and pecking his forehead.

"Sure thing."

A sudden screech made the two of them jump in surprise, and they turned in time to see the pink blur rushing towards them.

"YOU'RE AWAKE!" Sakura shrieked, her hands coming to grip at each of their shoulders. Naruto just gaped while Sasuke blinked owlishly up at the woman, who was now mumbling something incoherent with forming tears in her eyes.

"...Uhm..." Naruto finally began, making Sakura look up. "Are you alright, Sakura?"

"Am I alright?" Sakura asked faintly, stepping back as if in shock. "Am _I_ alright?" she repeated, looking downright scandalised.

Naruto had no idea what he had said wrong. Sasuke was also confused, and the two men shared glances before returning their attention to the woman that was now sniffing.

"They get...shot in the chest...nearly thrown off of a speeding car...almost die of blood loss...a-and they a-ask if _I-I'm_ alright!" she whimpered, wiping at her eyes and talking to herself.

"I asked no such thing. It's all Naruto," Sasuke corrected, and then flinched when Naruto smacked his head for being mean. "What? At least I'm honest about not caring!"

"You're an asshole," Naruto scolded. "Sakura's been worried about us! The least we can do is be grateful for her concern and reassure her!"

"I'm not reassuring anyone," Sasuke retorted, turning over and pulling his blankets over his head like a child. "Reassurance involves hugs, sparkly eyes and tearfully joyous celebrations. I don't do that shit."

Naruto stared at the lump that was his partner. "...What kind of psycho hallmark TV show did you watch growing up?" he asked incredulously.

The lump moved and Sasuke peeked out over the blankets. "I never watched TV when I was younger," he said simply. Naruto gasped dramatically, pressing a hand over his heart.

"_No_!" he breathed as if the news was the most outrageous thing he'd ever heard.

Watching them, Sakura couldn't help but smile, wiping at her eyes. It was like nothing bad had ever happened. Here they were, just woken up and yet already they were back to their usual antics and banter. It was uplifting and refreshing. She giggled slightly, catching their attention. She clasped her hands behind her back, smiling at them.

"I'm glad you're both alright. I'll be back in a bit with Tsunade do give you both a thorough check up," she said and then hummed. "And congratulations to the both of you for completing your mission successfully!" she added, beaming.

Naruto and Sasuke froze for a second, letting it sink in that they had actually finished. They had stopped Yahiko, and completed the entire mission. Things were finally over.

"We did it! We totally saved the country! Heck, we saved the world!" Naruto said, excitement bubbling up in his tone as he jumped up and punched his fists into the air. "BOOYAH!"

Sakura laughed while Sasuke shook his head, but even he couldn't hide the sudden shine to his face.

"Hn. Moron," he said fondly, reaching out to tug Naruto's arm. "Be careful before you knock over your IV."

"Bah hum-bitch, I don't need an IV in the first place!" Naruto scoffed, waving his hand. "I'm a total hero, and heroes don't need IVs!"

"What was that brat?"

Naruto let out a very unmanly shriek and hazardously dived onto Sasuke's bed, nearly crushing the man who rolled over just in time. The blond crawled under the blankets, curling up against the raven and laying his head down on his shoulder.

"Quickly! Pretend to be asleep and she might leave us alone!" he stage-whispered, closing his eyes and snoring dramatically while Sasuke just rolled his own eyes.

Tsunade snorted, striding over to the bed from the doorway with a giggling Sakura on her heels. She easily pulled the blanket off and pinched Naruto's arm harshly. The blond yelped and sat up.

"Hey! No pinching of the hero!" he said, rubbing the abused spot. Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

"And here I thought that your success would make you mature," she mumbled. Naruto laughed outright, waggling his fingers to indicate how crazy the thought was.

"Oh Granny, you and your senility really crack me up sometimes!" he said cheerfully.

He had a mouthful of blanket before Sasuke could properly start laughing at Tsunade's movements.

They were confined to the medic ward for three days, under observation and constant checkups. Often people stopped by for visits, especially Kiba and Orochimaru. Of course, both agents and needed heavy sedation after the latter left. The things Orochimaru put into their minds was enough to make them both wonder if therapy was the only way to cleanse their thoughts.

Sasuke was privileged to meet several agents from Naruto's agency as they came by to visit their 'hero'. He could see why Naruto was so happy in his old agency. The other agents were warm and friendly, joking about despite their own injuries. He noticed that the brunet with the scar on his nose, Iruka Umino, was particularly close to the blond. At first he had been rather jealous-not that he would ever admit it out loud- but soon he realized that Naruto and he were like family. Especially when Iruka ended up giving Naruto a long lecture on his reckless behaviour during the final chase. Sasuke had just sat back, watching with an amused smirk while Naruto nodded and said 'yes' every now and then. It was obvious that the lectures were something he'd grown accustomed to hearing.

Jiraiya had also ambled in at one point, and gave both of them a firm handshake before saying 'fuck it' and attacking them with a surprise bear hug. Naruto said that the look on Sasuke's face had been beyond priceless and spent half an hour mourning the fact that there hadn't been a camera.

Eventually Kakashi came in to visit them, looking as cool as ever even with bandages around his person. He walked into their room, waving a hand jovially at them with a smile on his face.

"Hello boys! I'm glad to see you're doing better!"

They looked up from Sasuke's hospital bed, where they had been playing a game of poker with a deck of cards that Kiba had been kind enough to get them.

"You're looking well yourself," Sasuke noted. "And they're letting you walk around."

Kakashi nodded, chuckling. "Well, sort of. I have a time limit. Then it's back to my bed to get my rest," he shook his head, sighing. "And to think, I used to pull off missions without getting a scratch."

"Well, that's what happens when you get old," Naruto said offhandedly as he discarded his two and four and snatched up another two cards. Kakashi glared at him, but the blond didn't acknowledge or notice it, too focused on his game. Sasuke just smirked, internally snickering at Naruto's insult.

"I am not old. I am mature," Kakashi sniffed.

"Yeah...Like a cheese," Naruto added, still focused on his cards. Sasuke snorted before stopping himself, pressing a fist to his mouth while Kakashi glowered even more. But still it seemed like Naruto wasn't even paying attention to what he was saying.

"I'm not a cheese! I am a powerful man, a top agent, a near legend!" Kakashi defended, getting worked up that some little brat was making fun of him so nonchalantly.

Naruto hummed, sliding a few more coins into the centre of their game. "But isn't there a metaphor or phrase for the top man that refers to them as 'the big cheese'?" he asked, eyes darting up to Sasuke to wait for his move. Sasuke was fighting to hold back his laughter as he saw Kakashi getting more and more irritated. It was ironic that Kakashi was getting so worked up when usually he was the one passing out all the little jabs. He didn't seem to like the taste of his own medicine.

"You—" he stopped short when Naruto finally lost control over his poker face and began to laugh. Kakashi growled, hobbling over and swatting the blond across the back of the head. "Don't disrespect your superiors!"

"Don't you mean your _elders_?" Naruto choked out, and started to laugh again when Kakashi growled loudly once more. Sasuke held his cards to his face, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.

Before anything more could happen, the door opened and a frustrated Sakura rushed in.

"Agent Hatake! Sir, you should be in your bed already! I told you, you can only walk around for a maximum of ten minutes!" she scolded, striding over and taking a gentle but firm grip of the man's arm.

"But I—"

"No buts! The chief has ordered that you all be kept under strict supervision until you have fully recovered!" Sakura cut off, a smug look on her face at finally getting some payback. Kakashi tried to argue again, but the pink haired woman just herded him out of the room.

Naruto grinned, turning to Sasuke. "How long do you think Kakashi's going to be bedridden?" he asked.

Sasuke smirked. "If he continues to annoy Sakura, he'll have an extended stay."

Naruto laughed again, closing his eyes in mirth. The sun was shining brightly today, passing through the windows and lighting up his hair and skin. Sasuke stared at him, a semi smile on his face. He hadn't said anything about it, but the truth was he was unbelievably happy. It was the kind of happiness where he almost wanted to climb onto the roof and shout it to the city. It was such a silly happiness, one that he hadn't really felt since his parents died.

He was happy that he was alive, and happy that everyone was safe. He was happy that the mission was completed, and that they had saved millions of people from an oncoming terror. But mostly he was happy that Naruto was alive as well, and that they were together in this very moment.

Naruto felt the bed shift and opened his eyes in time to watch Sasuke close his before he kissed him. For a moment he just sat there, a little surprised. But then he closed his eyes too and responded, massaging their lips together and enjoying the tingling feeling that came from it. Sasuke was leaning quite far, and as he grew unsteady his hand went down between them, upsetting the coins and cards. But neither of them cared. This was far more fun.

"Hn, I think we can squeeze in a bit of fun, don't you?" Sasuke purred, playing with the hem of Naruto's shirt. The blond grinned, nodding slightly.

"However," he said, and then reversed their positions so that Sasuke was on is back, "It's my turn. After all," he stroked Sasuke's cheek, smirking deviously, "you are more injured than me! I wouldn't want you to strain yourself trying to pin me down and all."

Sasuke snorted. "You're such a gentleman," he drawled, tugging on a piece of Naruto's hair. The blond just grinned like a fox.

"That doesn't sound like a complaint."

"I never said it was," Sasuke smirked and Naruto bent down, claiming his lips in another fierce kiss. They started to scoot back up the bed, hands roaming and lips pressing when Sasuke arched and broke away with a small yelp.

"Ouch!"

"What? Did I hurt you?" Naruto asked frantically.

"No, but there's a coin digging into my ass."

"Oh...Heh, okay, let's clear the bed first."

"You're a genius."

"Shut up."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Kiba strode down the halls of the agency, several papers clutched in his hand as he shuffled through them. He tried to remember when he had become the Chief's messenger, but honestly he couldn't recall. It just seemed to happen after Hayate died. He sighed, turning a corner and looking up in time to stop before walking into someone who was standing there.<p>

"Oh, sorry!" he said quickly when the person tensed and spun around. He blinked. "Sorry, Agent Hyuuga," he repeated, his cheeks reddening.

Hinata stared at him for a moment before smiling and shaking her head. "No, it's alright," she said. "I shouldn't have been standing in the open."

"No, it's my fault. I should watch where I'm going!" Kiba insisted. Hinata laughed, but shook her head again.

"No, no, really it's my fault."

"No, it's my fault, really!"

"...No, I do believe it's my fault."

"No, not at all, it's totally my—"

"Interesting."

Both stopped, turning their heads to see one of Naruto's fellow agents leaning against a door, looking at them with curiosity in his eyes.

"Uh...You're that Sai person, right?" Kiba asked, recognizing him from the files the Chief showed him before they went on their big invasion.

Sai nodded, before straightening up. "When introducing oneself, it's customary to smile," he recited and then his lips pulled into a big smile.

A big and very fake smile.

Kiba raised an eyebrow. "Um...it's okay, you can stop smiling now," he said and Sai stopped immediately. "Anyway, what was interesting?"

Sai reached behind him and pulled out a book that had been resting in his back pocket. Kiba narrowed his eyes to try and make out the title, but it was too small.

"This book is on human interactions," Sai said blandly, flipping through a few pages before pointing at a section. "This part here says that often two people who are sexually attracted to each other will get into pointless arguments and conversations where they go around in circles in a subconscious attempt to remain in the other's good books and keep their attention," he read before looking up at the now blushing pair. "So, Kiba I believe...Do you want to have sex with this woman here?"

"What the—Why—How—!" Kiba spluttered, his eyes wide and his face as red as a tomato. Hinata was also blushing terribly, her fingers suddenly twirling around each other in a highly nervous and embarrassed gesture while her eyes swivelled from left to right.

"YOU CAN'T JUST ASK PEOPLE THAT!" Kiba eventually shrieked, stomping over to the pale man and getting up in his face. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"So you don't want to have sex with her? Do you not find her attractive?" Sai asked, confused. He was so sure that these two were attracted to each other! It matched what it said in the book.

"What? No, she's—! I mean, she's very, very attractive!" Kiba defended quickly, glancing over at Hinata nervously before turning back to the man and trying to argue his case. "But just because you see me talking to a beautiful woman doesn't mean I'm trying to get into her pants!"

"Oh? So you think she's pretty, but you wouldn't do her?" Sai said, nodding to himself as he finally understood what Kiba was saying. He tilted his head to the side to avoid the punch Kiba tried to plant on his face, and opened his eyes as the brunet hopped around, clutching his hand in pain. "Or am I wrong again? Honestly, you're not very straightforward with your feelings."

Kiba was huffing like an enraged bull, his face a deep red and steam practically pouring from his ears and nostrils. Before he could attempt to kill the agent, Hinata stepped forward. Her face was highly flushed and she looked about ready to faint, but she casually took the book from Sai's hand and flipped through it. Her eyes scanned the pages before finding what she was looking for, and she handed it back to Sai.

"Please r-read that," she said, clearing her throat when she stammered. Sai read the paragraph she indicated, and his eyes widened in understanding.

"I get it now! So he is attracted to you, and he would like to sleep with you, but he's too embarrassed to admit it to other people because it's a private and personal matter?" he said, looking up. Hinata seemed to falter briefly before sighing, deeming that that was as close as she as going to get and nodded.

"S-something like that," she said, frowning when she stammered again. Damn, she was falling into old habits due to her embarrassment. Kiba let out a whine, covering his face with his hands as Sai smiled again, pleased with his newfound understanding of the social situations.

Before anymore could be said, two new voices could be heard.

"No, I don't agree."

"But Neji, it is the most youthful activity ever!"

"I still don't agree with you, Lee."

"But—"

Hinata's eyes widened while Kiba's jaw dropped, and they both looked to Sai as he raised an arm and pointed at the two men walking towards them.

"So these two are also sexually attracted to each other, but neither of them will admit it in public!" he declared loudly. Neji and Lee froze, the latter confused and the former looking like he'd just had an ass smacked across his face.

"...I beg your pardon?" he eventually said loudly, shock and horror on his face. Lee tilted his head.

"I'm not sure I understand you, my youthful friend. While I do indeed think of Neji as a wonderful friend, I hold no sexual attraction for him. Though, he is a good looking man," Lee cupped his chin thoughtfully, looking Neji up and down. Neji saw this and took a giant step away from him, his hands coming up to cover his already clothed chest.

"Stop looking at me like that!"

"I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable, Neji. I was merely contemplating if it were possible for me to feel sexually attracted to you. It is an interesting concept."

"No it is not! Stay the hell away from me!"

Kiba groaned, walking forward. "I have to do stuff. Deliver shit and so forth. I'm leaving," he said, waiving over his shoulder. He could still hear Neji yelling and Lee talking, along with a few interjections from Sai, as he walked away and wiped his hand over his face.

"Why me?"

He continued to mourn his bad luck until he reached the medical ward. He looked up and saw that Sasuke and Naruto were just stepping out, having been released at last. They looked as good as new, dressed in some fresh clothes and recently showered. Judging by the sighs they let out, he knew they were also relieved to finally be out of the medic area.

"Hey, guys!" Kiba called, walking over to them. "Glad to see you both up and about again," he said with a smile.

Naruto grinned, lacing his hands behind his head. "So am I. Being stuck in one place for too long always makes me get antsy."

Sasuke didn't say anything, but a slight nod of his head showed he agreed with his partner's comments. Kiba chuckled, rifling through his papers.

"Well don't run off into the sunset just yet. I've got something for you both," he flipped through the pages, trying to find the ones assigned to them. "Ah, here's for Sasuke."

He handed the raven a paper. "Also, the Chief wants to see you straight away. So get going," he said, nudging the man away. Sasuke rolled his eyes but started to walk.

"I'll meet up with you in the lounge after I'm finished," he called to Naruto, waving his hand. Naruto waved back, hollering his understanding while Kiba searched for his paper.

"Ah, and here is yours!" Kiba produced a folded sheet. Naruto took it, opening it up and looking at the long list presented to him with contact numbers and small pictures.

"What's this?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Hm? Oh, those are all the apartments that are available for rent and purchase. The Chief asked me to print it for you so that you can start looking for your own place to live now. The mission is over, so once we get all the clean-up work done and tie up any loose ends, things will be going back to normal!" Kiba clapped him on the back, missing the sudden look of sadness that took over Naruto's face.

"Yeah...Heh, I forgot about that," Naruto mumbled, smiling at Kiba. "Thanks for this!" he said. Kiba nodded, his own smile faltering somewhat. There was something off about the look on Naruto's face. It was too...forced.

"You okay?" he asked. Naruto laughed, waving his hand.

"I'm perfectly fine! Anyway, I'm going to head to the lounge and start looking at these addresses and such. Thanks again!" Naruto jogged away, not giving Kiba a chance to say any more. He made his way down to the lounge, bypassing several other agents who all congratulated him on a mission well done and his successful recovery. He met each one with a smile and a thank you, but his mind was elsewhere.

Walking into the lounge, he paused in the doorway, slumping against the frame and looking around. The room hadn't changed at all since the first time he set foot in it, and a nostalgic smile came to his face as he recalled how amazed he'd first been. He could almost see himself walking towards the window while Sasuke stood nearby, hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face.

The memory visions faded and Naruto's smile went with them as he slowly walked to the couch and sat down. The soft surface was so familiar now, and he turned, leaning back and relaxing onto the comfortable couch. The tick of a clock nearby was rhythmic like his heartbeat, and the view from the large windows was as fantastic as ever. He stared out for a moment, looking over the city that he had helped to protect. He was, of course, thankful that the mission was finally over and that the danger was gone. But now things were going to go back to normal...and normal meant no Sasuke.

His hand rubbed the spot above his heart while he frowned thoughtfully. No Sasuke wasn't an option for him anymore. He knew that, in the time he'd come to know Sasuke and be with him, his feelings had flourished. Naruto was no coward. He could readily admit that he was in love with the bastard just as he could readily admit he had six scars on his face. Sure, saying it aloud wasn't the easiest thing to do, but that was natural. He would get it out properly one day, but if Sasuke wasn't around to hear it, then there was no point.

'_I need to find a way to ensure that we'll be able to stay together. Once things pick up again, and we start on missions, we'll hardly have time to see each other during the days and we'll most likely be too tired to try and meet up at night,_' he thought, his brows furrowing as he tried to think of a solution.

He supposed that he could ask for an agency transfer...

But that didn't seem right. As much as he loved Sasuke, the thought of leaving his agency behind permanently just didn't sit well with him. It had become his home after Jiraiya had started to look after him. He couldn't just leave it, no matter how much he wanted to see Sasuke. It would be like giving up his legs to get a new pair of shoes; something extremely important would be missing in his life.

He sighed heavily, closing his eyes in thought.

"Someone seems troubled."

Naruto opened his eyes, turning his head to see who his visitor was. He sat up straighter, smiling at the person as they took a seat opposite him.

"Asuma. It's good to see you up and about," he greeted. Asuma nodded, running a hand over the bandages still adorning his person. Like Kakashi, he as confined to bed rest for the better half of the day, only allowed a few minutes of freedom. Although, the medic ward was quite far from the lounge...

"Won't Sakura be looking for you?" Naruto asked, peering at the door as if expecting the nurse to come storming after her wayward patient. Asuma chuckled, scratching his bearded chin.

"Yeah, but I managed to get Konohamaru to distract her for a bit. I just needed to have a good walk around after being unconscious for so long, and then stuck in bed for even longer."

Naruto nodded in understanding. He felt the same way when it came to being bedridden. It sucked.

"So, you seem troubled," Asuma continued, looking at him and raising an eyebrow. "What's on your mind?"

Naruto blinked before sighing again, leaning back. "Well, the mission is over—"

"Yes, congratulations on that," Asuma put in and Naruto nodded his thanks.

"While I'm glad that it's all over and such...I'm also a bit upset," he rubbed the back of his neck, blue eyes wandering to the side. "After our rest period, I'm going to have to go back to my old agency. And while I'm looking forward to seeing all my old friends and, well, going home in a way...I'm going to miss Sasuke. And the rest of you too," he added quickly. Asuma laughed.

"I'm sure you'll do fine without most of us. If you think you're missing the rest of the people in this agency, just think of Orochimaru and you'll get over it quickly," he said, a twinkle of mirth in his eye as Naruto snorted and laughed at the truth in the statement. "But back to the issue...so you don't want to leave Sasuke. There's nothing that says you have to break up with him."

"I don't plan to, but even if we stay together, how are we really together when we are hardly able to see each other?" Naruto asked, leaning back and letting his head fall over the edge. "I told him that we would figure things out, but I'm not sure how to do it."

Asuma hummed thoughtfully, scratching his chin again. "Kurenai and I had the same problem when we were dating. Admittedly, she's not an agent, but with all my missions it was tough. But after me moved in together, things got easier and soon we figured out ways to spend enough time together. It's different for everyone I'm sure, but you'll find something that works," he said and then paused when he saw the suddenly contemplative look on Naruto's face. "What's—"

"ASUMA!"

Both men jumped a mile, swivelling their heads to see two women striding through the door. Asuma paled considerably while Naruto edged away on his seat, sensing danger. The woman that was storming towards Asuma was no one he'd seen before. She had long, curly dark hair and strange red eyes. But the most noticeable thing was her bulging stomach. It wasn't fat, that was easy. This woman was pregnant.

"K-Kurenai, dear!" Asuma began and Naruto's mouth dropped open.

"Oh shit, it's the missus!" he whispered, clapping a hand over his mouth as Asuma stood up to greet his wife. Kurenai was fuming.

"What the hell are you doing walking around when you're supposed to be in bed?" she snapped, and Asuma held up his hands in a peaceable motion.

"Now, now, don't get worked up dear. I was just taking a walk to get some life back into my limbs!"

"You might not have any limbs left after I'm through with you!" Kurenai growled, and quick as a flash her fingers were pinching Asuma's ear and dragging him sideways. "You're getting into bed! I've got enough to deal with, I don't need to worry about your recovery being botched up by your own stupidity!"

Asuma could only wave to Naruto, helpless against his pregnant wife's rage. Naruto weakly waved back and mentally added this experience to his reasons for loving Sasuke since there would be no pregnant-hormonal mood swings in their future. That gave him a mental image of a moody, broody, pregnant Sasuke.

He shivered. "I think my balls just shrunk..."

He heard the woman scolding her husband even as they vanished from sight with a smug looking Sakura right behind them. Naruto leant back, his face once more falling into its contemplative appearance. Something Asuma had said was stuck in his mind, and he was mulling over the idea. Sure, it would solve a few problems and it's not like it was anything new for him or Sasuke to do. Perhaps...perhaps it would work!

"Alright...I'll just ask Sasuke when he gets here," he nodded to himself, pleased.

"Ask me what?"

Naruto flailed in place, arms flapping wildly while his mouth opened and closed a few times without making a sound. From where he stood in the doorway, Sasuke watched the spectacle with an amused smirk.

"Bastard! Don't sneak up on me!" Naruto finally managed. Sasuke raised a brow.

"I just walked into the room, idiot," he reminded, moving to sit next to Naruto and propping his legs up on the blond's lap without asking. Naruto scowled at him, but he only smirked. "So, what did you want to ask me?"

"Before I get to that, what did the chief want?" Naruto asked curiously, fiddling with Sasuke's shoes on his lap.

Sasuke's smirk faded and a pensive look overcame his face. "...He wanted to talk to me about Itachi."

Naruto stilled momentarily before nodding.

"And then?" he prompted.

"He says that it looks like Itachi was telling the truth. He wanted to know what I thought, and if I had any idea as to what we should do with him."

"Mmhm, and then?"

"Well...I told him that even if Itachi was telling the truth, I'm not ready to trust him. I mean, how can I? He understood and told me that if I wanted, I could leave Itachi's punishment up to him."

"Ah, and then?"

"I said that was fine. I...I asked him to keep me informed though. After all if...if Itachi is really the good guy he says he is, then I...Well, I'd like to have my brother back," Sasuke scratched his cheek, looking up at the ceiling in thought. Naruto had removed his shoes, his fingers now playing with Sasuke's toes through his socks.

"...And then?" the blond asked again, eyes still on his feet. Sasuke frowned, thinking.

"Well, I left Itachi alone after that. So far it seems he's going to stay in the agency, in the holding quarters. The Chief is going to work with Ibiki, I think, to figure out what to do. Oh, he also told me that they were letting those twins go."

Naruto raised a brow in silent question.

Sasuke shrugged. "Something about them no longer being a threat. I think it's mainly Orochimaru's fault though. He seemed to insist that they were 'victims of bad circumstances' or something weird like that. Anyway, the Chief will be keeping an eye on them for the time being as well, but they're free to leave the building."

"...And then?" Naruto asked, a grin on his face.

"Hn, that's about it."

"And then?"

"There's nothing else that I can think of."

"And then?"

Sasuke opened his mouth before stopping, finally realizing something. He turned to glare at Naruto.

"No 'and then'."

Naruto's grin widened. "_Aaaaand_ _theee_—"

"Don't even start," Sasuke growled. Naruto laughed, tweaking the raven's toes.

"Alright, alright. Well, overall it seems things are turning out okay," he said, working to get Sasuke's socks off. The Uchiha made no move to stop him, so soon he had Sasuke's bare feet on his thighs, and he started to knead his fingers into the muscles in a massage.

Sasuke groaned happily. "I suppose. Not everything is resolved," he mumbled and Naruto clicked his tongue.

"Of course not. But we all have time to resolve them in future. There's no reason to rush the things that are daunting to us now. Take your time to think over things, plan it all out, and when you're good and ready you can sit down with Itachi and have a nice long chat," Naruto said wisely, smiling when Sasuke sent him a look of surprise.

"Is it that obvious that I'm struggling with that?" the raven asked with a weak smile. Naruto just rubbed his foot soothingly, nodding slowly.

"Also, I like to think that I can read you quite well," he added. Sasuke chuckled.

"So, what did you want to ask me?" he said, closing his eyes. Naruto's hands were working magic on his feet, and he was getting tired. He felt the way his blond partner seemed to hesitate and dragged his eyelids back. "Naruto?"

Naruto cleared his throat, wiggling Sasuke's toes again out of pure nervousness. "Well...You see, I just realized that, er...the mission is over, you know? And well...well, that means that things are going to return to normal, right?"

Sasuke's stomach dropped at the reminder. He started to sweat slightly, his heart rate picking up. What was Naruto going to say? Was he going to say that they should break up because things would be impossible? No, no he had promised they would work it out! And he wouldn't break a promise...right?

"...Yeah, and?" Sasuke finally said, and he wondered if his voice sounded as frightened as he felt. Naruto looked everywhere but at him, his fingers still absently tweaking Sasuke's toes. Where the sensation had been somewhat nice before; it now felt terrible to Sasuke, as if it were a countdown to bad news.

"W-well...I just remembered that...my apartment was blown up. Remember?" Naruto said slowly. Sasuke blinked and nodded, recalling that indeed Naruto's home was no longer an actual building.

"I remember."

Naruto raised one hand to scratch at his hair and Sasuke became highly interested in the growing blush on Naruto's cheeks. Suddenly, something clicked in his mind and he sat up, eyes wide. Was Naruto saying what he thought he was?

"Yeah, so...I was just wondering if, you know, it would be cool if I...stayed at your place for a while longer. I mean, I can understand if you'd like to have your apartment back to yourself, but I just thought that since we're dating and I'm a homeless man and there aren't _really_ any other apartments ready for me—"

Sasuke smirked, bending forwards and pressing a kiss to Naruto's cheek, effectively derailing his ramble. He leant back enough for the other to face him, wide eyed and hopeful.

"Hn. Idiot, of course you can live with me."

Naruto blinked, breathed and then grinned big, bright and brilliantly.

"Awesome! Although, now that I think of it you didn't really have a choice. I mean, what kind of cold hearted bastard would leave their homeless partner out on the street?"

Sasuke chuckled, moving his feet off of Naruto's lap. The blond frowned, reaching after them.

"No, I was playing with those!" he protested. Sasuke rolled his eyes, standing up to leave while Naruto did the same.

"What are you, a kid?"

"I'm a man, a hero and your master!"

"Right, of course. And I'm the Queen of Narnia."

"Well, what with that icicle up your butt and the fact that you act like a bitch sometimes, I find that highly believable."

"Idiot."

They continued to bicker as they left the lounge, neither paying mind to the crumpled paper left on the couch that showed a list of apartments.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The nurse watched as the three men stepped into the elevator. She noticed how two of them looked about ready to run for the hills and wondered what their story was. Checking out the details of the patient they were going to visit, she frowned.<p>

'_Poor guys...That must be tough,_' she thought before sighing and shaking her head. She couldn't think about such sad things. She had a job to do.

When the elevator reached the third floor and the doors slid open, it was to reveal twin red heads and a cap-wearing brunet.

Kaoru had his hands deep in his pockets, his face blank and devoid of any emotion while his eyes were as empty as his face. Kamari had one hand in his pocket and the other one was clutching the strap of his messenger bag repeatedly. His eyes moved from the floor to the hall and back again while his face looked nothing more or less than pensive.

Stone looked between his two friends and held back a sigh. When they'd finally gotten back from Lord knows where they'd been, he'd encouraged them once again to go visit their sick mother. Naturally he'd almost broken out the champagne when they agreed without arguing, and he'd herded them off the moment he could. But now that they were here, it was like they were coming to say their final goodbyes to her.

He caught himself. In a way, he supposed they were. Her condition wasn't getting any better and he knew that soon things would take a turn for the worst.

He just hoped they'd be able to say everything they needed to.

They reached the room and stood there, neither twin making any move to open the door. Stone sighed heavily, reaching out and pulling the handle. He noticed with a small amount of amusement that their shoulders tensed more and more with every inch he pulled the door back. When it was open, their shoulders were close to their ears and he wondered if he was going to have to puppeteer them into the room somehow.

But there was no need when, as soon as the door clicked open fully, they relaxed to a degree and stepped inside.

'_At last, we hath progress!_' Stone thought with a cheer, stepping inside and closing the door.

The sight on the bed was pitiful when compared to his memories of the person lying there. Thin, frail and sickly pale; like some kind of twisted recipe for the meaning of sickness. The woman lay on the bed, an oxygen mask on her face and a bandage placed over her eyes. Her hair was thin and lank, her cheeks hollowed and her entire figure that of a withering flower. He looked down at her wrist, grimacing. She'd always had very small wrists, but now it was disturbing.

There were twin sighs filled with nothing but horror and sadness and he wondered which one he should comfort first. His first instinct was of course the more emotional one, Kamari, but then his mind told him to comfort the one most likely to snap at any second, Kaoru. Then he got confused all over again and ended up standing in the middle, arms by his sides and a lost expression on his face.

'_Of all times to become a useless douche bag,_' Stone thought in frustration.

"Has she gone comatose yet?" Kaoru asked eventually, his voice bland.

"I'm not sure. She was awake the last time I came, and the doctors didn't call any time afterwards," Stone said with a light shrug.

They stood in silence, watching the slow rising and falling of the woman's chest. The air was stiff and filled with an unnameable tension that made Stone want to curl up in a corner and rock back and forth while humming lullabies to himself. When he was sure he couldn't take it anymore, Kamari started to rummage in his messenger bag, successfully breaking the silence and gaining the attention of the other two.

"What're you looking for?" Stone asked. Kamari didn't answer, pulling out a thin box which he opened up. A syringe was resting inside, the liquid inside clear. He plucked it out the box.

"Where the hell did you get that?" Kaoru asked, his eyes wide. "That wasn't a part of our agreement with Itachi!"

"Who's Itachi? What is that stuff?" Stone asked, confused. He saw Kamari smile guiltily, and Kaoru's shocked face, and assumed the worst. "Oh God, you're not going to euthanize your own mother are you?"

"Of course not!" Kamari protested, checking that everything was in order as he moved closer to the bed, stepping over wires. "And I know this wasn't a part of our agreement. This was my...insurance plan," he said slowly, sliding up the sleeve of the hospital gown and rubbing the area he planned to inject.

"But we've already got the money for the surgery and treatment," Kaoru said, confusion lacing his voice. "Why would you take that?"

Stone was trying to register the fact that they had the money. They had the abominable amount of money needed for her treatment and surgery. But how did they manage to get it?

'_Oh my god, they murdered a politician didn't they? Or no, they robbed a bank! Oh fuck, what if Kaoru became a drug dealer...Or no, a pimp! Oh shit, what have they done?'_ he wondered frantically.

"It's only the prototype version from the early trials, so it won't last for long; perhaps an hour at most. But it will, hopefully, be enough to bump up her chances of a full recovery after treatment," Kamari was saying even as he positioned the needle. With only a second to blink, he sunk it into her arm, ignoring the shudder Kaoru gave and the small squeak that came from Stone.

"No, seriously, what the hell is going on? What are you guys talking about? What crazy shit have you pulled this time?" he asked, rounding on Kaoru with an almost desperate air. The red head just patted his shoulder, focused on his twin.

"Chillax, we didn't do anything ille-...well...uhm...we're not going to jail. Let's leave it at that," he said simply. Stone stared at him before pressing a hand to his face.

"I don't want to know do I? I'm safer that way."

"Yep."

They waited as Kamari finished his task, wiping away at the small needle mark and then smiling down at the woman. He ran his hand over her head.

"See you soon Ma," he mumbled. He heard a small grunt of approval from his twin and smiled, looking at him over his shoulder. "Let's go get the doctor to list her up for the treatments and surgery."

Kaoru nodded, briefly looking at their mother before heading for the door.

"Aren't you going to say anything to her?" Stone asked. Kaoru paused in the doorway and looked back at him.

"I have plenty of things to say. But I'll say them when she's awake, eating like a pig and looking right at me and commenting on the length of my hair. No sooner than that."

With that, he left, his companions following right behind him.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>One Month Later...<strong>

The trilling of an alarm broke through the silence of the room, and a pale hand slid out from the covers, gracefully turning it off before retreating. A yawn was heard before the covers were pulled back.

Sasuke stretched his arms above his head, throwing his head back to stretch his neck too. Once he heard the satisfying click of his arms and shoulders, he relaxed again, letting them drop and looping one around the weight lying on his side.

"Time to get up," he said, fingers scraping through golden locks.

Naruto groaned, turning his face into Sasuke's bare chest.

"Don't wanna," he mumbled and Sasuke chuckled. He tugged on the blond hair briefly before sliding out of the bed, ignoring Naruto's hands as they chased after him, trying to drag his warm pillow back. "Nooooo!"

"Get up idiot," Sasuke smirked, yanking the blanket off. "And take the sheets off. We need to wash them."

Naruto sighed, rolling over and sitting up. He stretched languidly while Sasuke grabbed his towel from the handle of the closet and started to make his way out the room, picking up his discarded clothes and boxers from the floor as he went.

"Nice ass!" he heard Naruto call after him as he left the room and smirked.

"I know!" he called back, heading to the bathroom to shower.

Naruto smiled and slipped off the bed, tugging off the sheets and bundling them up. He scratched his head briefly before snatching up a small bottle of pills on his side table. Grabbing one, he dry swallowed it as he examined the blindingly bright green and purple label pasted onto it proclaiming, in curly writing, 'Orochimaru and Henrietta the Amazing Green Llama's Miracle Hulk-Virus Suppressant Pills!'

He shook his head at the garish design. Orochimaru had been kind enough to create these pills specifically for him. They were simply suppressants for the virus that he had to take daily. If he stopped, the virus would return to its regular one-hour activation routine. As long as he took these pills, he was a normal man.

Placing the container back down, he turned and got ready to jump his boyfriend in the shower.

Half an hour later –because his plan had actually worked this time- the two were dressed in their suits and finishing up their coffee.

"Jiraiya's assigning me to an undercover mission this week," Naruto informed as he grabbed his jacket, sliding his arms into it with ease while Sasuke spun the keys on his finger, waiting for him by the door.

"Hn. The Chief's going to send me to take down an arms dealer at the harbour. I'll have the Hyuuga's as my back-up," he said, leading the way to the elevator while Naruto fiddled with his blue tie. He smoothed his own orange one, a gift from the blond beside him, and smirked.

Naruto grinned slightly. "Try not to push them too hard, bastard," he said teasingly. Sasuke shrugged as the doors opened to the lobby of their apartment building. Stone was behind the counter as usual, chatting to his frequently visiting friends. As they passed, Naruto and Sasuke shared a secretive, challenging stare with the two red heads. Kamari subtly smiled while Kaoru rolled his eyes and made a rude gesture with his hands by his thighs. Sasuke scoffed and Naruto shook his head, smiling slightly, pushing out the doors to the street outside.

The sunlight beat down on their heads as they approached the sleek black convertible car parked out front, waiting for them.

"Morning agents!" Kiba greeted cheerfully, slinging an arm over the car door. He had a pair of dark sunglasses perched on his face, and held out two pairs for them. They accepted them, nodding at him and climbing into the car.

"Hey Kiba. Thanks for dropping me off at my agency," Naruto said, pulling the sunglasses open. Kiba shook his head as Sasuke slammed the door closed and settled back.

"No problem man. We're working close with you guys anyway, so it's not like I'm going out of my way. You ready for your next missions?" he asked, starting the car up and turning on the radio. The beginning chords of 'Tick Tick Boom' by The Hives started to play.

Sasuke and Naruto smirked, sliding on their sunglasses simultaneously.

"Hn."

"We were born ready. We're badass secret agents after all!" Naruto grinned. "Now punch that shit!"

With a laugh from the driver, the car peeled out from the sidewalk, music blaring and smoke trailing behind them as they sped away into the city that they had saved and would continue to save until the day they could no longer make super cool spy exits.

"Oops...I forgot to put the sheets in the wash..."

"Moron."

"Shut up, Duck-Butt."

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>End Credits<strong>

**Main Cast**

Naruto Uzumaki as Agent Kyuubi

Sasuke Uchiha as Agent Sharingan

Kakashi Hatake as Agent Scarecrow

Hiruzen Sarutobi as The Chief

Asuma Sarutobi as Agent Smoker

Konohamaru Sarutobi as Agent Kid

Sakura Haruno as herself

Tsunade Sannin as herself

Orochimaru as himself/Mochi

Kiba Inuzuka as himself

Shikamaru Nara as himself

Chouji Akimichi as himself

Jiraiya as Naruto's teacher/himself

Kaoru as himself

Kamari as himself

Itachi Uchiha as himself

Sasori as Puppeteer/himself

Yahiko as Pein/himself

Zetsu as Scientist/himself

Kisame Hoshigaki as himself

**Supporting Cast**

Neji Hyuuga as Agent Byakugan

Hinata Hyuuga as Agent Jyuuken

Anko Mitarashi as Agent Snakebite

Lee Rock as Agent Lotus

Sai as himself

Gaara Sabaku as himself

Temari Sabaku as herself

Kankurou Sabaku as himself

Kabuto Yakushi as himself

Stone as himself

Kakuzu as himself

Hidan as himself

Deidara as Mad Bomber/himself

Iruka Umino as Agent Dolphin

Kotetsu Hagane as Agent Metal

Izumo Kamizuki as Agent Guard

**Other Cast**

Kurenai Yuhi

Guren

Killer Bee

Akamaru

Pakkun

Henry/Henrietta the Green Llama

Konan (mentioned)

Nagato (mentioned)

Ryoumen

Tobi (mentioned)

**Director/Author Comments**

**Another story, another adventure, another journey...now completed. What will come next: I'm not sure yet. All I know is that this story has been and will be one of my favourites to work with. Thank you to everyone who's supported me and this story...If I could, I would shower you all with love, hugs and kisses but as it is, I'm afriad we'll all have to settle with virtual glompage and cookies! :D *glomps everyone and hands out thank you cookies***


	24. Christmas Special

**:D Hi everyone! Well, here we have the little Christmas special! It's short (okay, not, over 6,000 words) and sweet and a nice lil Holiday bonus. :) I hope you all enjoy it!  
><strong>

**MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!**

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke panted heavily as he ran, his feet pounding against the ground while his arms moved in swift motions beside him; up and down, up and down, a steady motion to keep him balanced as he hazardously ran through the thickly crowded area. His shoes often slipped on the floor, and he cursed his attire consisting of normal black jeans, a blue dress shirt, a loose tie and some sleek black dress shoes. But he hadn't had time to change before Kakashi had suddenly sent him on a mission of utmost importance. At least, that's what Kakashi had called it!<p>

Sasuke hissed as he came across a group of people that were in the way. He didn't want to slow down, so instead he ran forward and jumped, using the tallest man's shoulder to vault himself right over the group. He ignored their angry and surprised shouts and kept sprinting towards the location Kakashi had told him to go. He had to fetch an important package before his time ran out, and Kakashi had told him that failure would have dire consequences.

Sasuke hadn't ever failed a mission, and he wasn't about to start now.

His shoes squeaked as he took a sharp turn, and he slid across the tiled floor for a few seconds before regaining his momentum and rushing down the new section. All around him were people, stores and worse...Christmas decorations. Everywhere the eye could possible turn, there was tinsel and wreaths and bells and holly and plastic Santas and reindeer and snowmen and gift boxes- For crying out loud, he felt like he was running through a festive commercial! Slashed prices on decorations and 'holiday gift bundles' were plastered on every store window as he rushed passed, not to mention that almost everyone around him had a shopping bag of some sort on it.

Sasuke side stepped around a couple holding hands, and briefly his mind noted that the woman had bright blond hair. The colour reminded him of his partner, who was also on an important mission right now. As he rushed through another crowd of people, going into a power slide to sweep under a tall man who was standing weirdly with his legs apart in the middle of the area, he wondered whether Naruto was finished with his mission or not...

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto grunted as he tripped over a marble that had fallen from the bag of a nearby boy with his mother. He let out a yell as he fell straight into a stand of canned soup, and he hissed as the heavy objects clattered onto his body. There were gasps around him as customers backed away, but he ignored them, pushing himself up and shaking his head wildly to get rid of the slight daze his fall had given him.<p>

"Hey!"

His shoulders hunched by his ears as he heard the gruff voice of the security guards approaching. With a small yelp, he launched out of the pile of food and began to sprint away, shouting a weak "Sorry for the mess!" over his shoulder as he exited the store. His backpack slapped against his back as he ran through the crowds, but he was certain that the padding inside would stop his package from getting damaged. Honestly, he was somewhat pissed a Kiba for suddenly giving him a mission, but the brunet had claimed it was of the highest importance and given him a time limit! On top of that, Sasuke had also been sent on a similar mission!

Whatever was in these packages must have been important. He remembered the smile on the person's face behind the counter as they handed over the wrapped item. That smile was forced, and their voice was almost robotic as they told him 'Thanks for your order. Have a nice day!'

That was the code sentence Kiba had told him they would use, and to verify that he was indeed the agent sent to fetch it, he'd had to reply like Kiba told him to with a cheerful 'Yes thanks! Merry Christmas!'

He was glad that the transaction had gone smoothly even though he had no idea what this package was. But he trusted Kiba, so he was going to finish this mission with record timing!

He jumped over a bench and trash can that was set up in the middle of the walkway, like in many areas of the gigantic mall he was in. People were all around him as he ran, but he could hear the thudding steps of security guards chasing him.

'_Dammit! I didn't do anything wrong, but I don't have time to stop and explain things to them!_' he thought in frustration, vaulting over a lady's shopping as she preened herself in the shop window. His back was starting to ache from the constant beat of his bag, and he adjusted the straps as he ran, tightening them so his bag would meld to his back and his white dress shirt. He was glad that he had loosened his orange tie before starting this mission, because he was certain he would've choked with the amount of times it got caught by his bag straps as he ran.

He heard the guards chasing him still, and cursed violently. He had to lose them. If he got caught, he'd fail the mission.

As he passed a gift-store, he saw a trolley on the outside that held a bunch of glittery rubber balls in buckets; undoubtedly an item that would be heaved into boxes on the counter shelves to attract the attention and request of young children. He briefly let himself feel guilty before he turned, shoved the trolley over easily and sprinted away as the balls cascaded out, bouncing wildly. He heard shouts and yells as guards and people tripped on the scattered items, and loudly shouted out his apology even as he turned the corner and ran for the exit.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke held the packaged tightly under one arm, steadying it with his other hand as he rushed through the crowded areas. The package wasn't particularly heavy; it felt lightweight and whatever was inside was loose. And there was a lot of it. He could tell by the way he heard things clicking around inside. He considered the possibility of it being a payment package, but they had special agents for this. Then again, since it was Christmas, the agency had gone somewhat lax in jobs. There was a Christmas party that afternoon, which is why he was dressed the way he was. Obviously this mission had been unexpected for everyone, but who was he to question his superior's order?<p>

A trilling made him jump as he ran, and he reached into his pocket, struggling to pull out his phone. When he did, he flipped it open and hazardously pressed it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Sasuke, this is Kakashi. Have you received the package?"

"Yes sir. I'm running with it now," Sasuke panted, turning a corner and racing towards the street area. God, he was getting tired.

"You've only got eight minutes left! If you don't make it in time...well," Kakashi trailed off while Sasuke started to panic. Eight minutes? But the agency was five blocks away! And the traffic was bad at this time; getting a taxi would be no good!

"Shit!" Sasuke cursed, snapping his phone closed and shoving it into his pocket. He picked up the pace, ignoring how his legs were starting to protest. Somehow the crowd seemed to get worse! It was as if people were springing up from the ground like demented daisies! And dammit, where they trying to block his path?

"Hey, move it!" he yelled, shoving through a particularly thick bunch of people. They yelled and protested, and one idiot had the nerve to grab his arm, jerking him back.

"Hey asshole, what's your—" Sasuke's foot slamming into the underside of his jaw shut him up as he went flying upwards, and the surrounding people gasped, watching the man's progress as he fell back into the crowd, knocking a few souls down. Sasuke continued to run, uncaring if anyone tried to call the cops on him. He had places to be and he didn't need some moron slowing him down.

As he finally reached the street, he turned and began to run towards the agency, cursing as he saw how far it was in the distance.

A group of teenagers was walking up the sidewalk, holding skateboards in their arms. Sasuke smirked and as he raced by, he reached out and grabbed one. The kid and his friends turned, watching as Sasuke jumped and threw the board down, landing on it like a pro and kicking off. He streaked down, swerving around people and tightening his hold on the package. A light changed and crowds started to walk across the road and onto his sidewalk. He cursed, looking around before spotting a railing. With a grunt, he jumped up, grinding across the rail while people moved out of the way with shouts of surprise. Sasuke passed the crowd, slamming back down on the concrete and swerving to the side, missing a man in a suit.

He moved onto the road with the slow moving cars, drifting in between them and using the hood of a shiny red Ferrari to launch himself up and onto the sidewalk on the other side. His hair flipped about his face as he rushed towards the agency, and he pulled out his phone to check the time.

Five minutes left.

Looking up, he smirked as he saw he was getting closer. If he pushed himself, he would make it.

He hoped.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Naruto let out an unmanly screech as Kiba sent him a text, informing him that he only had seven minutes left to get back. Looking around wildly, he spotted a bicycle sitting innocently against a rail. Standing a few feet away was the owner, drinking his water so that he could toss the bottle away in the trash can beside him. Naruto grimaced, but rushed forward, snatching the bike up and hopping on.<p>

"Hey!"

"SORRY!" he yelled back to the owner, already peddling like a mad man. He quickly got off the sidewalk, seeing that there were way too many people to try and manoeuvre through. On the road, cars honked their horns at him angrily, but he just ignored them or flipped off some of the meaner drivers. The bike's wheels screeched every time he forced it into a turn a little too quickly, and he grunted as he pulled it up into a wheelie to get through a tight spot.

When he reached the crossing, he swerved back onto the sidewalk, glad it was rather clear of pedestrians. His legs worked like monsters as he zoomed down the concrete walk. He could see the agency building in the distance and decided to take a shortcut. As he reached the corner he headed straight for the entrance of an expensive store, zipping through before the sliding doors could shut behind an old couple. People screamed as he came barrelling through, zipping through the aisles. There was a perfume stand ahead, the woman spraying samples for the gathered ladies to smell. He ducked his head as he passed, feeling the hit of one of the samples against his skin. As he turned into a sharp turn he sniffed and grimaced.

'_Great, now I smell like a sweaty rose,_' he thought in annoyance. He reached the other end of the store and, without losing speed or momentum, jumped off his bike while keeping his hands on the handle. As soon as his feet hit the floor the automatic doors opened and he kicked himself back up and onto the bike, streaking through the doors with a triumphant grin.

"No way am I failing this mission!" he growled determinedly, pedalling faster down the streets.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>Sasuke grabbed the pole of a streetlight, swinging himself around the corner and jolting as he landed harshly on the skateboard. He was just a block away from the building, and he knew he had about two minutes left. Wind was rushing past his ears as he streamed towards the agency, seeing its entrance so close! His eyes caught a golden flash opposite him and he looked down the street, seeing Naruto racing towards him on a bicycle. It seemed that both of them were cutting it close.<p>

They reached the building at the same time, but two different things happened. Sasuke swerved to a stop, kicking the skateboard away from him while he quickly readjusted his hold on his package. Naruto hit the brakes on the bike only to let out a loud yell when it stopped against a dip in the sidewalk. The bike lurched up and Naruto was throw off the front. Sasuke saw it and tried to catch him before he could smash his skull on the sidewalk. But as he reached Naruto's landing point, the blond stuck out his hands to catch himself. Sasuke panicked and flipped back, not wanting to get squashed.

Naruto landed on his hands, grunting from the force and pushing himself into a flip. He landed on his feet at the same moment Sasuke did a few steps away and the two paused, catching their breath.

Then Sasuke's phone vibrated with a message at the same moment Naruto's did, informing them that they had a minute left.

Nodding to each other, they raced into the building, making a beeline for the elevators. Naruto slammed his finger onto the correct floor button repeatedly while Sasuke combed his hair frantically, the wind from his rush back having turned it into a wild birds nest.

The doors slid shut and the elevator began to move, an annoying Christmas jingle beginning to play. The only other noise was their heavy breathing.

"...Hey," Naruto eventually said in greeting.

"Hey," Sasuke greeted back, his voice a little hoarse as he was still trying to catch his breath. Naruto nodded, wiping the back of his hand across his forehead to clear away the sweat. He looked over, noticing a rebellious lock of Sasuke's hair was sticking out awkwardly, and he reached over to brush it down. Sasuke turned into the touch, eyes sliding over to the blond. His own hand came up to fix Naruto's collar and smooth down his tie.

When they had finished grooming each other, Naruto smiled and Sasuke smirked.

Then the doors opened and they were sprinting down the hall as if the devil was snapping at their feet. Passing door after door after door, they counted until they finally reached the right one and Sasuke slid to a stop, stumbling when Naruto ran into him.

"We're here!" they yelled in unison, slamming the door open.

Applause and cheers answered their arrival, and the two men stood in the doorway, panting from their run while everyone in the room clapped and cheered.

"Just in the nick of time!" Kakashi said cheerfully, sauntering up to them with Kiba by his side. Sasuke handed the package over, as did Naruto and Kakashi patted their backs in reward while Kiba grinned.

"You guys really saved us!" Kiba said, taking his own package. "Without these, everyone would have suffered!"

Naruto and Sasuke shared a look of surprise. "Really? What's in those that's so important?" Sasuke asked.

"Is it money?" Naruto questioned. "Or new parts for a revolutionary new gadget?"

Kiba grinned. "Nope."

"Then what is it?"

Kakashi rattled his package, a smile visible even with the mask on his face. "Plastic knives and forks."

"And paper cups," Kiba added, jiggling his own parcel. "We forgot to pick them up yesterday for the Christmas party today. But now we're saved and the party can commence as planned!" he said cheerfully.

For a moment there was silence as this news travelled to the two men in the doorway, their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide. Then their faces scrunched and coloured in anger.

"You—" Naruto began.

"Son of a bitch!" Sasuke finished with a snarl, lunging at Kakashi who laughed and easily cantered out of the way. "All that rush for a bunch of plastic cutlery?"

"Well without it no one would've been able to eat their Christmas snacks and cake now could they?" Kakashi reasoned. Sasuke lunged again, but he was too tired to actually succeed in his attempts to throttle his superior and former teacher. Naruto was glowering at Kiba, who just shrugged and patted his shoulder.

"As a reward, you get the first cup of punch!" he said, taking out a cup.

"The first cup of punch, you say?" Naruto said slyly. Kiba nodded and he held out his hand for the cup. The brunet handed it over and Naruto took it, looked inside, and then punched Kiba in the face with the same hand holding the now crushed cup.

"Ow! What the hell!"

"You said the first cup of punch," Naruto shrugged. "I assumed that meant I could punch you with the first cup," he reasoned coolly, tossing the ruined object into the trash can by the door.

Kiba grumbled, rubbing his cheek as he climbed to his feet. Hinata came over to help him up and they walked away to start distributing the cups while Kakashi and Anko set out the knives and forks. Sasuke stalked over to Naruto, shoving his hands into his pockets and scowling darkly.

"Now I remember why I hate these parties so much," he mumbled. Naruto chuckled, shrugging.

"How do you think I feel? I'm here to represent Jiraiya while he's out on a mission, and yet I got sent on a bogus mission myself. I'm never going to hear the end of this when me and my agents get back to our lot," he said, meeting the eyes of a few agents from his agency that were attending the party. Ever since the end of the Pein-Virus Mission, as they'd come to call it, their agencies had been working together a lot more.

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, looking around the room at all the people milling about and conversing. Decorations were spread over the place, bathing the room in what Sasuke assumed they considered a 'festive' feeling. Sasuke just felt like he was in danger of getting a price-tag slapped on his forehead and shoved onto a shelf, waiting for sticky, greedy hands to snatch him up and whisk him away for torture.

'_And you say that _I _give you weird thoughts,_' Mochi scoffed in his mind, rolling imaginary yellow eyes. '_You're weird enough without my influence._'

Sasuke scowled, shoving the annoyance that was his inner-freak into a little mental box and locking it shut.

"Well, we're here. So, want to get something to drink so long?" Naruto said, lacing his hands behind his head and tilting his head towards Sasuke in question. The Uchiha just nodded and they walked through the crowds towards the long tables filled with food, snacks, treats and various beverages.

"Hello Agents!" Chouji greeted, standing by the table with a plateful of...well, everything. "Thanks for bringing the cutlery and cups! I was worried I wasn't going to get to eat until much later," he thanked.

Sasuke scowled again while Naruto just smiled weakly, no real enthusiasm.

"Sure thing Chouji...Anyway, what drinks do we have here?" he said, looking over the selection.

"We have Eggnog, Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Mountain Dew, red and white wine, champagne, beer of all kinds, sparkling water, exotic fruit juices and...I don't know what this is," Chouji said, picking up one bottle. He was about to pour some out to see when Shikamaru walked up and snatched it out of his hands.

"Don't. This was an experimental drink Orochimaru brought in. One of the pilots had a cup and he was carried out of the room, convulsing while his nose hairs grew long enough to tickle his lips," he drawled. The three men looked at the bottle in horror and sure enough, upon closer inspection, there was a small hand-drawn representation of Orochimaru riding a green llama in the corner of the nameless label.

"That man is sick," Naruto mumbled, shuddering as Shikamaru nodded and carried the bottle away. He settled for some Coke, having no desire to start on the alcohol just yet. Sasuke got himself a cup of Pepsi, moving to stand beside the blond. Naruto peered at his drink and then looked at him with a frown. "Pepsi? You traitor," he said darkly. Sasuke raised a brow before taking a long sip of the beverage and then licking his lips afterwards with a smirk.

"Delicious," he said while Naruto gave him a dramatic and indignant gasp.

"Don't talk to me," Naruto said, moving to walk away. Sasuke chuckled, grabbing his arm and tugging him back. Naruto was grinning as he allowed himself to be manoeuvred towards the side of the room, away from the excessive crowds. They leant against a wall, sipping at their drinks while observing the room. Several agents came up to them to say hi and congratulate them yet again on the success of their last mission. Naruto grinned, accepting the praise with thanks and smiles. Sasuke would've remained his usual stoic-and bastardly- self, but Naruto stomped on his foot and demanded that he be polite and thank them for the praise.

It was quite a sight to see; the great Agent Sharingan balancing on one leg, rubbing his abused foot while forcing a very pained smile towards the agents around them and saying in a voice that was covered in ice 'thank you' while sending death glares to the sunny, smiling blond beside him.

Soon there was music playing and people were dancing in the middle of the room. The songs were all cheesy Christmas tunes but it was a Christmas party after all. Naruto had long since finished his first three cups and had decided to move onto some beer. Sasuke opted for the same, trailing along behind Naruto as the blond walked around the room to say hello to everyone and speak to his friends. Konohamaru made a remark that Sasuke looked like a faithful, love-sick puppy wandering after its master.

The Chief kindly requested that Sasuke pull his grandson back into the room and not leave him hanging outside the window. His argument was that Konohamaru didn't make a very attractive Christmas decoration for their building.

Sasuke threw his empty cup away, folding his arms over his chest while Naruto spoke to Kiba, Sai and Hinata. He remembered Naruto telling him that Sai didn't really have many social skills, and that he was a bit strange...

'_Understatement,_' he thought, raising a brow when Sai boldly cupped Hinata's chest and asked if she was really a D-cup or if she had silicon fillings.

"You son of a—"

Naruto pulled Sai to the side, making Kiba stumble when his powerful punch didn't meet flesh. Hinata, red in the face but somehow still composed, steadied him and with a last glare towards the smiling raven, she and Kiba walked away.

"I don't understand," Sai said sincerely, looking at Naruto in confusion, "I did that to one of the woman at the underground drug gang I was investigating last year and she didn't mind. She offered to show me!"

Sasuke choked slightly, clearing his throat while Naruto chuckled and patted Sai's shoulder.

"Classy women, and women who have self-respect, dignity, and more importantly the skills to castrate a man, will never appreciate such forward questions. Sai, read up on tact and boundaries. Also, read up on what is considered inappropriate to do to a woman you barely know," he suggested and Sai nodded.

"Alright Dickless. I'll do that when I get home," he said, waving and walking away to find someone else to embarrass. Sasuke glared at his back while Naruto just rubbed his temples.

"It is against rules to kill a comrade," he muttered to himself.

"We could make it look like an accident," Sasuke said, draping an arm over Naruto's shoulders. "The headlines will be the best. 'Tragic Accident at Christmas Party; Man Strangled to Death by Rogue Christmas Lights and Tinsel'," he recited, sweeping one hand through the air in front of them as if showing the headlines before them. Naruto chuckled, reaching up to pat the hand on his shoulder before holding it.

"That won't work, sadly. Sai's been strangled by various people so many times he's learned to hold his breath for a ridiculously long time. He'd have too many chances to get away," he explained. Sasuke grunted in displeasure but decide to drop the idea. Then another idea came to him. "We could get him to drink some of Orochimaru's drink?"

Naruto stilled, a thoughtful look on his face. Before he could state his thoughts on the matter, however, there was a chorus of cheers, claps and wolf whistles. They turned their heads, seeing the entire room looking at them and grinning wildly.

"What? What's going on?" Naruto asked, looking from one lecherous face to the next. "What'd we miss?"

Sakura laughed, and made an 'up' motion with her finger. The two blinked before looking up at the same time. A small bundle of mistletoe was hovering over their heads suspended by a long stick. Their eyes followed the wooden pole to the right, far down until it stopped in a pair of pale hands. They looked up at the face of the criminal behind this deed and swallowed at seeing Orochimaru grinning at them. He was wearing an elf costume complete with candy-cane stockings, furry-hemmed shorts and vest and curled-toed boots with bells on the tips.

"Start kissing boys! It's tradition!" he cheered, jiggling the stick and causing the bell attached to the mistletoe to tinkle. Sasuke glared at the scientist while Naruto ran a hand over his eyes, his cheeks heating up. When the rest of the crowd started to egg them on, they sighed heavily.

"Let's do it then," Naruto said with a shrug. Sasuke grunted, turning to face the blond fully. People started to cheer, waiting for the kiss to happen. Naruto smiled at Sasuke and rested his arms on the man's shoulders. Sasuke smirked, waiting for him to move forward. He was looking forward to the kiss, since he hadn't had the chance to snag one since they woke up and had to get ready for the accursed party.

Naruto edged forward and Sasuke closed his eyes, moving his lips to accept the kiss. He felt Naruto's lips press to his, tingling through his skin and was about to press back when the pressure vanished. He opened his eyes, blinking as Naruto pulled away and stuck his tongue out at the crowd.

"There, we kissed. You perverts," he scolded while many people sighed in disappointment and others laughed. Orochimaru had a frown on his face.

"Cheaters!" he said but withdrew the stick.

Sasuke scowled. "Fuck that shit," he said, grabbing Naruto's cheeks and dragging him forward, firmly sealing his lips over the others. The mistletoe was back, bell jingling madly as Orochimaru hopped in place and others erupted into applaud and cheers. Sasuke didn't pay attention to them, just licking at Naruto's lips to gain entrance and teasing the other's tongue with his own. He felt Naruto smirk into the kiss and nibbled his lip in warning not to say anything. Naruto's arms came back around his waist, hands locking at the small of his back while Sasuke rested his arms on the blond's shoulders.

They pulled apart, Sasuke smirking and Naruto chuckling to himself and licking his lips. The blond moved one hand to Sasuke's backside, squeezing slightly and making Sasuke jump.

"Exhibitionists over here!" Anko yelled, cackling madly while people laughed and whistled. Naruto grinned, sliding back out of Sasuke's hold and facing the crowd.

"You're all a bunch of perverts!" he accused again with a smile while Sasuke just straightened his tie and smirked. The crowds began to disperse after that, having had their fill of seeing someone get mistletoe-ed. Naruto went back to leaning against the wall, a smile glued to his face while Sasuke leant beside him, ensuring that their shoulders touched.

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p>The party continued on, the two remaining in their little corner of the room, talking to each other and occasionally pressing closer for a quick kiss or whispered sentence that brought a smirk to the receiver's face. It was when the moon was high in the sky, and more than half the people had had too much eggnog that the Chief ducked away after getting a call.<p>

Sasuke and Naruto were sitting at one of the tables scattered around, empty plates of food pushed to the side. Naruto had the last bite of his Christmas cake and he was valiantly trying to protect it from Sasuke. The raven didn't like sweets at all, but he enjoyed watching Naruto balance the food on his fork, dodging his swift swipes at the utensil.

"No! Bad Sasuke!" Naruto said, holding the fork high above his head behind him and flicking Sasuke's nose with his fingers, laughing at the open mouthed glare of indignation Sasuke gave him for treating him like a dog. "You can't have my cake!"

Sasuke was about to say something when he blinked, and a wicked smirk tore across his face.

"Fine. I wouldn't want it anyway," he said, leaning back in his seat and grinning. Naruto narrowed his eyes in suspicion when he felt the fork jerk in his hand. With a yelp he spun around, seeing that his cake had been stolen right off the fork by...

"Who the fuck let the llama in here?" he yelled, backing away from the green llama known as Henrietta Broccoli the First. She had a name tag and everything (not to mention a crown that Orochimaru had strapped to her head). However today she was decorated with a pair of reindeer antlers and a red and white striped scarf around her neck with bells on the ends.

"Henny-Boo! What are you doing in here, naughty girl!" Orochimaru cooed, skipping over and wrapping his arms around the llama's neck. "I thought I locked you in your playpen! Clever girl, you figured out how to open the door didn't you?" he stroked the fleece lovingly, and the llama made her weird noise again before doing the little dance she sometimes did. Orochimaru clapped his hands happily before leading the creature away, cooing all the while.

Naruto watched them go, still holding the llama-slobber covered fork. Then he made a sound of disgust and threw it into the crowd. Sasuke heard Kiba yelp and laughed while Naruto scooted his chair over.

"That llama freaks me out," he mumbled, and Sasuke nodded in agreement. Just then the Chief came over to them and bent town to speak to them.

"I just got a call from a guard from the holding cell," he said, his phone pressed to his shoulder and indicating that the call was still going. Both agents tensed. Itachi was in the holding cell.

'_Oh God, did he escape? Is he loose on a rampage?_' Sasuke wondered, feeling panicked. However, the Chief smiled and they relaxed. If the Chief was smiling, things were okay.

"What is it?" Naruto asked, leaning his head back on Sasuke's chest.

The Chief's smile widened. "Itachi says 'Merry Christmas' to you both, and a Happy New Year too."

There was a moment of silence between the three of them while Sasuke looked thoughtful and hesitant, and Naruto looked surprised. Then the blond smiled.

"Tell him we say the same," he said, tilting his head up to look at Sasuke with an lop-sided grin. "Don't we Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked down at him, and then grunted, looking away.

"Hn. Sure," he mumbled, his cheeks reddening slightly. Both Naruto and the Chief made 'awww' sounds and he glared at them. "Shut up."

The Chief laughed, walking away and putting the phone back to his ear. "Oh, if you boys want to leave you're welcome too! The party is almost over anyway, and most people are going to spend the night here since they're drunk," he called back.

Sasuke jumped out of his seat. "Finally! Let's go," he said, grabbing Naruto's arm and dragging him out.

"Wait, I need to say bye—"

"Hn, you'll see them tomorrow. Home now."

"What are you, a caveman? Home now...what the hell?"

"Shut up moron."

"Bastard."

They left the building, waving goodbye to the people still sober enough to recognize them as them and not their uncle Freddie. Sasuke called a cab for them, having no desire to walk through the 'festive' street. Much to his dismay and Naruto's humour, the cab driver was a Christmas nut and his entire car was decorated with tinsel, lights and the dashboard had a dancing Santa that sang Christmas carols with a chipmunk voice.

"Kill me now," Sasuke mumbled when the mechanical Santa starting sing Silent Night. Naruto grinned, patting his shoulder.

"It'll be over soon, just endure it!" he teased. They arrived at their apartment, climbing out of the cab as quickly as they could and Naruto paid the cheery driver while Sasuke slithered away, wanting to escape. It wasn't like he hated Christmas itself, he just hated the fact that it was one big money-grabbing holiday for the government. He wouldn't mind if someone wished him a Merry Christmas, but if you started bringing in those awful and expensive decorations and songs he would jump out of the nearest window regardless of the height.

Laughter was the first thing that met them as they walked into the lobby, and they paused at seeing the small gathering of people around the front desk, chatting amongst each other and having fun. Stone was among them, and he spotted them staring at the group. He waved.

"Hi guys! Hope you don't mind my little party here. I swear it won't get out of control!"

"That's only because Kaoru's too busy to get smashed!" someone called and there was a chorus of laughter while another voice yelled "Shut up!"

The two agents pin pointed the people that they knew far too much for their own comfort. Kaoru was sitting on a stool behind the counter, papers strewn before him. Kamari was standing behind him, arms draped over his shoulder as he lazily stared at the papers. His cheeks were flushed and they saw a half empty bottle of beer hanging loosely in his other hand.

"Hehe...S-sorry I can't help with the paaaaperwork," he slurred and then broke into a fit of giggles. Kaoru sighed at his drunken twin, meeting the two agent's blank looks with a glare of his own. They never spoke on the odd occasions that they bumped into each other, but they always made eye contact.

Naruto was the first to smile and wave at the group. "Don't mind us! Merry Christmas everyone!" he said cheerfully, grabbing Sasuke's arm and pulling him towards the elevators. Sasuke was locked in a glaring match with Kaoru while Kamari giggled drunkenly before his hazy eyes spotted them getting into the elevator. He perked up, waving enthusiastically.

"HIIII!" he called, almost spilling some of his drink on Kaoru's shirt as he moved around. "MERRY EASTER!"

Hysterical laughter filled the room while Kaoru sighed and reached up, patting his twin's head and coaxing him to calm down while he mumbled the correct term.

"Oops. I meant HAPPY CHRISTMAS DAY!"

"Close enough," Stone laughed and waved to the two as the elevator doors slid shut.

"So, what are our plans for the evening?" Naruto asked, linking his hands behind his head again. Sasuke hummed, standing behind him and resting his chin on the blond's shoulder.

"I say we have a _shower_, climb into _bed_, maybe watch a movie or _something_, and then go to sleep," he said, smirking as he emphasised certain words. Naruto laughed.

"Okay, and my brilliant interpretation of that is 'I say we have a shower and bang, climb into bed and bang, watch a movie halfway before banging again and then go to sleep...and bang in the morning."

"You're a genius," Sasuke purred against his shoulder. Naruto shook his head.

"I will only agree to that on one condition!" he said and Sasuke frowned as they walked towards their door. He pulled out the keys, turning the lock.

"What condition?" he asked, stepping inside. Naruto grinned, kissing his cheek briefly.

"We have to watch The Grinch all the way through first!"

Sasuke's groan of despair was muffled as Naruto laughed shut the door behind them, the decorative holly wreath tacked on the door shaking slightly while the hallway lights reflected off of the little golden words that proclaimed:

**Merry Christmas!**

**~ADB~**

* * *

><p><strong>HO HO HO-<strong>

**Kaoru: SAKURA!**

**What?**

**Kaoru: I thought you were calling her. ¬_¬ Y'know, 'ho'?**

**-_- ...I've been watching too many ant-Sakura vids. **

**ANYDICKENS (see what I did there :3) I hope you all enjoyed this! Reviews would be appreciated!**

** Kamari: O.o I'm quite a happy drunk...**

**Kaoru: :C Yeah, and I have to play care-taker for you! ¬_¬ Where's my chance to get smashed?**

**^_^ MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, Yadda yadda, blah-dee-blah-blah.  
><strong>


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